snow gaming

[jay]

This morning, it is clearing and very windy, probably windchills to near zero F. One group has gone ahead to finish assembling the drill and sensors, the rest of us will follow after lunch. If all goes well, we will be drilling and will have met the minimal field test requirements by the end of today.



Here's a typical after-dinner meeting in the dining tent, where each group has a turn to describe how their day went...


Once a year, a contingent from HMP crosses over and pays a courtesy visit to the Mars Society hab, located about a mile away on the other side of the runway. For whatever reason (to show how unafraid we are of bad weather?), Pascal opted to go over after dinner last night, accompanied by the chief Canadian flight surgeon (representing CSA) and myself (NASA). On ATVs, in the snow... not being able to see the trails, and snow hitting us while driving... here I am, en route:


And a view looking up the hill to the MS hab... we approached on foot. And found their crew outside without their spacesuits on (they run simulated missions, so aren't supposed to "break sim" except in emergencies) having a snowball fight. :)


They were friendly, and we went inside for a few minutes, did introductions and offered medical assistance if they needed any.


Later in the evening, the snow stopped and it began clearing... here's a nice contrasting photo taken just after midnight:

Comments

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

It's a really useful productivity-enhancement tool... you never have to close up shop at night, so there's no excuse for staff to not keep working ;-).

[geekchick]

Until they pass out from lack of suitable nutrition. ;)

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

Hey, for lunch we just had canned generic seafood chowder... no mushrooms, even.

[geekchick]

Well, it's an improvement.

[tenacious-snail.livejournal.com]

I originally saw that as "seafood powder", somehow, and thought that things had deteriorated further, rather than improving.