Crew 280 Journalist Report 23-04-2023
Author: Núria Jar, Crew Journalist
The crew members of Hypatia I were feeling homesick on April 23rd. This is a special day in Catalonia, also known as Sant Jordi’s day. It is a celebration of literature and love, where people exchange roses and books with their loved ones. Although they missed the festive atmosphere and the traditions of their home country, they found a way to celebrate this special day, probably the first ever Sant Jordi’s on Mars.
The Crew Scientist, Ariadna Farrés, taught their colleagues how to make origami roses to celebrate the day on Mars. She is a master of origami, while others tried to do their best. The crew members enjoyed the activity, relaxed themselves for a while, and felt a sense of connection to their home country and culture, even though they were miles away from Earth. They made a dragon bookmark and a decorative rose, both made of paper.
In relation to books, the Hypatia I crew members brought many about Mars and space exploration to the Mars Research Desert Station (MDRS). The Red Planet has inspired mythology, literature and scientific research for centuries, as these books show. The crew members have been enjoying reading and discussing these books during their free time.
One of these books was “Una ciutat a Mart” (“A city on Mars”), written by astrophysicist Guillem Anglada-Escudé and other scientists for the general public, particularly kids. In this recent book, they develop the idea of how a human settlement on Mars would be. The Greenhab Officer, Laia Ribas, was a contributor to the study SONet (The Sustainable Offworld Network), which inspired this book.
Another interesting book was “Mart. El mirall vermell” (“Mars. The red mirror”). It collects different articles from people related to an exhibition, which took place in Barcelona in 2021. The Crew Commander, Mariona Badenas-Agustí, wrote a chapter with her experience at the MDRS last 2019 with LATAM-III.
It was a creative and fun way to celebrate Sant Jordi’s day. Definitely a heartwarming Sunday moment at the station.