Crew 201 Journalist Report – 24DEC2018
The Martian Chronicles
[SOL 8] – It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas
"It’s the most wonderful time of the year.
There’ll be much mistletoing,
and hearts will be glowing,
when loved ones are near.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year"
MDRS Crew 201 – MEx-1
Back on Earth, we celebrate Christmas Eve with our families and loved ones. Traditionally we get together and have dinner, share presents and remember the best times of this year. We remember those who passed before us, and how their memories are still with us.
These moments we cherish the most, feel warmth in our hearts and try to make them last forever. In Mars, it could not be any different, we got together to make a tree out of cardboard, paint a few decorations (Thank you Commander Ilaria!) and bring memories all together.
Work today, aside from our holiday, there were several pre-dinner adventures. Some level of success has been shown in the Green Hab experiment where local soil is being used as a testbed for future crop growing. So far, 3 of the 10 different soil combinations have germinated radish. Can you imagine? We have our very first Mars Organically grown Radish! Well, maybe not us but Crew 202 will which to us is quite a fantastic moment.
An extended EVA was performed to the southeast of the Hab where Juan Carlos and Chilpo were working on artificial vision and camera testing for the rover. Traverse to the location was performed on the rover Curiosity but the road was complex and they missed their exit by a few kilometers and had to turn back to the North Pinto Hills.
After completing a walk of around 2 miles some strange footprints were found along the road. Strange noises were heard around the EVA location and the footprints, strange for an inhabited planet, seemed to be from a known earth species that travel with an old man in a red suit. Santa Claus and Rudolph, was that you?
Jokes aside, our Christmas Eve has been fantastic. We miss our families, but in our new home, the warmth of the season is felt by every crewmember.
From the Crew-201 stationed in Mars, we want to wish you all ¡Feliz Navidad!
MEx-1 continuará informando.
Genaro Grajeda, MDRS Crew 201 Co-Journalist