Crew 274 Journalist Report 2-6-2023
Sol: 8
Author: Tony DiBernardo, Crew Journalist
Title: Media Day
Crew 274 woke up this morning at 7:00am to the song “Africa” by Toto. The crew got their surveys done early because they had a big day ahead of them. Unlike our past Journalist Reports, this report will not include sections for EVA, Hab Design, of Engineering, Green Hab, or Stress Mitigation.
Today, the crew broke simulation for a media and outreach day. We conducted eleven broadcasts to Family members, the APUS Graduate Studies Office, 3 classrooms from Waugh Chapel Elementary School, a class from Enemy Swim Day School from Waubay, South Dakota, and teams from SpaceX and the Vance Brand Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol.
In total, we spoke with over 170 adults and elementary school students. They asked incredibly insightful questions like:
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What is the temperature on Mars?
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How long does it take to get there?
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What happens when you enter a black hole?
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How do you “go potty” in space?
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What do you eat in space?
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Could you get along with each other on a real mission to Mars?
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Are you having fun?
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Why do you go to Mars and not a different planet?
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How long does it take for a plant to grow in space?
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Have you ever seen an alien or alien spaceship?
The crew also taught them about the whole analog experience, visual star processing, solar weather processing, how space weather impacts orbital assets, and how it would be helpful for Martians on site to have real-time access to solar weather. The team had a blast communicating their science to family, friends and the general public, but we look forward to getting back into our routine, our research, and finishing the last half of our mission strong.