MDRS Day 2 - The Nomad

To describe this day in one word, I would chose: eventful.

I woke up around 8:15 and went outside to check the power generator. I was supposed to turn it off, but it had turned itself off. This was not a good sign. Who knows how long the generator had been off because we were all asleep when it did, and you can't hear it from inside the hab (of course, you can barely hear it from outside the hab, thanks to a giant pile of mountain right next to the generator).

The power went out for the first time around 9. I ran outside to turn the generator on again, but it wouldn't start. I knew it was because the diesel fuel had gelled overnight, but there wasn't much I could do about it. I went in and tinkered with the controls on the inverter and the power magically came back on. However, I knew it wouldn't be on much longer. Sure enough, about half an hour later it went out again. I played with the inverter again to get it to start, but not only was the Low Battery Voltage signal going off, the Generator Failed to Start signal was also displayed. This would be a long day.

Two people from NASA were visiting for a rehearsal for a live webcast for the NASA Quest challenge, a program for elementary and middle schoolers to design space habitats on the moon. Earlier this year we did some critiqueing on their projects, and now they are getting the results. However, because we had no power we couldn't connect the webcams, so we just used the satellite phone to talk about the projects while the broadcast headquarters flashed a picture of us on the screen. It's kind of a waste of time on our part because we're not doing anything mission related, but at least it's outreach.

After lunch we suited up for EVAs for the first time. J.R., Genoveva, and LaTasha took the ATVs to find a soil sample left underground by Crew 51 while Robbie and I went to go look for some waypoints to find from the GPS waypoint database.

Here's the simulated EVA procedure: We start out by putting on a thick suit, much like a jump suit only thicker and dirtier that zips up in the back. Then we put on huge boots that feel like weight has been added on for no reason. Gators go on top of the legs to cover the tops of the boots. We put on a backpack that contains an air circulator and added weight for simulation and has hoses that connect to the helmet, which goes on next. Once the backpack is connected to the helmet so the wearer has fresh air circulating through the helmet, big ski gloves are put on that seriously restrict digital dexterity (which is why there will be so few pictures from EVAs, it's really hard to operate a camera's tiny buttons, let alone a GPS system).

So... after waiting in the airlock for five minutes, Robbie and I started hiking out. Man, it was so cool just walking around, even though we had enough trouble finding the comm buttons on our helmets (we'll get better at it) and we probably looked really funny. The novelty probably would have worn off very fast though. However, because Jen and Robbie both forgot to make sure Robbie had a water pack, we decided to head back after about two minutes. During the walk back, I lost my water mouthpiece somewhere and couldn't find it. Five minutes of recompression and we were back inside.

By this point, the other crew was heading back from their journey on the ATVs and two of them were ready to call it quits because they were inexperienced on the ATVs. Robbie and I headed out after Jen fitted him with water and I found my mouthpiece stuck in my suit. Five minutes of decompression later, we were outside with J.R. ready to look for soil samples.

We found the first one not far from where J.R. and I rode to the day before, on the other side of the canyon that I had taken a few pictures of before. After a nice Captain Morgan pose, we headed off to another waypoint 10km away the way the bird flies (meaning it was way further with all the switchbacks and turns along the hills and dry riverbeds).

Riding out was the best part of the day. Just looking around through my tinted ski goggles gave everything such a breathtaking and alien feel to riding. Wearing the suits and traveling across a landscape I've never experienced before just added to the experience in a way nothing else could. The desert canyons and cliffs looked absolutely amazing compared to the inside of the Engineering Building II. We were too far away from the base to establish a signal to the hab with the line-of-sight radios, so it really felt like we were on a real expedition across the Red planet, with only our own wits and equipment to get us to the next dirt sample.

I honestly have no idea what we're going to do with the dirt sample because it's not my job, but I definitely want to learn more about the geology aspects of the area. I'm not the scientist, so I'm curious about what research everyone is doing, but I'm sure the others are wondering what I do to keep the power running. On second thought, no they don't.

However, coming back from the second waypoint was hell. By that point I had drained my waterpack and my back teeth were not just floating anymore. Every little bump made my bladder strike with pain, and the backpack belt made it worse. By the time we traveled the 5.02km direct line back to the hab (which was actually way more, there's no straight line to anything), I was ready to explode... except we had to wait another five minutes inside the airlock. I thought those would be the worst five minutes of my life ever, but it wasn't so bad.

On a bathroom related note, I do not foresee any trouble in the future on my part with the operation and upkeep of the one toilet they have at the hab. I did my worst to it, and even though it was not pretty, the toilet did the job.

Before dinner Paul and I installed a dishwasher so we don't have to wash dishes by hand anymore. Genoveva cooked rice, beans, and corn beef, which was delicious, especially with the Louisiana Hot Sauce. After dinner we broke up and finished did our reports and repairs to the equipment. I tried to fix the broken trickle pump in the GreenHab (the one we tried to fix yesterday), but the new pump has a different connection and I need a nipple hose connector to do it. Basically, here's my to-do list while I'm here (or at least what I hope the crew helps with while we're here, but it's all my job as the CE):

-Reorganize wireless network into the backup battery supplier
-Reset the mousetraps and clean the loft area (none caught since my first night)
-Finish insulating the 24V batteries beneath the hab
-Reorganize the engineering bench area
-Put up shelves in the bathroom (a.k.a. The Turdinator)
-Build a shield for the rock saw
-Lengthen the Hab fire exit ladder
-Fix the webcams (which might be impossible considering one goes off every time the power does)
-Fix the ATV choke switch
-Clean up the outside engineering area (it's a wreck)
-Insulate the water pipes
-Fix the trickle pump

I'll get to all this eventually, but for now I need to go take a sponge bath because I was a moron and decided to check the oil level while the generator was running. So much for staying somewhat clean. Now I really need to get some new long sleeve shirts when I go home for Christmas, because I'm down to two useable ones.

"Like a mirage riding on the desert sand
Like a vision floating with the desert winds
Know the secret of the ancient desert lands
Your are the keeper of the mystery in your hands"