Mute buttons are my friend...

Just finished an hour long teleconference about proposing a concept study for a suitcase-sized instrument package for astronauts to lug around during lunar exploration. We'd write the executive controller and planner software, here. But much of the discussion was about how to get lunar soil samples into the box, and the merits of coring vs. penetration. Without lubricants, mind you... thankfully, I had it muted most of the time, avoiding audible giggles.

Yesterday's meeting at JSC was long and tiring and productive and we mapped out our tasks for FY07. Then returned last night, where tenacious_snail gave me a ride home from SFO... ;).

And I was relieved to hear (also during the telecon) that Nancy has come safely through her knee replacement surgery! Yay! (grin) Whew...

Happy Anniversary!

To my dear friends akiemn and dawnd, may they find increasing bandwidth and connectivity and affection and other good things... :)

"Driving to Mars"

Bill Fox's book about our ongoing research projects being tested in the Arctic at Haughton Crater, "Driving to Mars", is now out... I'm told that I get good press in it, but I just received a copy and haven't read it yet. :) Bill was at HMP for three summer seasons, 2002-04.