Sol Summary – December 3rd
Sol Summary Report (SSR):
Sol#70
Person filling out report: Annalea Beattie
Summary Title: O Happy Solar Day!
Mission Status on track:
Sol Activity Summary:
So this morning as I began to write to you, I stopped for a minute and thought about where I was. I’m in the Utah desert which is a really ancient amazing desert, in the Mars Desert Research Station, which is our home and a really great resource for science, and I’m sitting with the crew family at breakfast.
Perfect sun comes in through round windows of the hab, lots of chat about astronaut training and funding for the ExoMars Rover, the discussions about today’s EVA and who will cook lunch. These breakfast briefings are usually collegial and warm. We have a laugh and a joke, make each other coffee, check to see how we all slept and so on. Someone sits in the very sunny spot at the table. If it is Jon, he wears enormous black glasses. If it is Yusuke, he sits with his eyes shut, enjoying the warmth. Our crew always eats together. It’s a special time for us to relax and talk.
The most exciting news of today is that our solar panels are connected and now we have power in the laboratory. The lab has become an important working space for us all and that special window with the lovely view of the desert is spectacular.
Now with solar power, we can use all the equipment in the science dome.
Today Claude- Michel and Yusuke calibrated the pH sensors of the gardens and the temperature sensors of each spot. Then they wrote reports. I interviewed Yusuke again for space.com (there is a lot to say about him and his dome project), I wrote, made a spinach and cheese pie and baked some potatoes.
Out on the EVA, Anu drove the electric rover which was a big first for her! Alex’s suit interface was upset by the vibration on the ATV (there is no other explanation) and he had to come home. Jon and Anastasiya did some geological scouting with Anastasiya also filming messages for school kids. She is cleaning now.
What a whirlwind that woman is. Next dinner and early night.
Reports Submitted to CapCom:
- Sol Summary- Annalea
- Science Narrative – Jon
- Purple Mezuna Report-Yusuke
- Anomaly Report – Alex
- Pictures – Anastasiya
- Photo of the Day – yes
MDRS Lessons of the Day
Alex learnt three letters of Russian.
Plans for tomorrow: Day off
Crew Physical Status: Yes, we are in excellent health!
Weather: still cold
Anomalies: no