Journalist's Report
Date: 5 Dec 2012
Written by: Dan Wilcox
After all the planning on Sol 4, we went back out again into the Martian sun ... which happens to be the same sun that you have on Earth. We get the same light as you, it just takes a little longer to get here.
Our first EVA was a short foray to a feature to the South we are calling the Gateway as it is a natural pass between a series of long, tall hills forming a rough half circle about 2 km South of our home in the Habitat. We took our Martian ATV’s out for the first time so getting there was no sweat.
We explored the local strata and checked out our radio range. As you can imagine, it’s important to keep in contact with the place you get your air and power from ... it may be daylight on Mars but it sure is cold! Also, wearing a space suit is hard business, but when this is your business it’s just another thing you do to go outside. Like everything, you get used to it.
Our second EVA took place during the afternoon and we covered more ground, roughly 10km. We scouted several areas that would make ideal roadbeds and identified 4-5 sites for future investigation. As the daylight waned, we had to return to the Hab without reaching our destination. Why? The temperature drop between light and shadow is extreme and you don’t want to be caught out in the cold. It’s important to limit our time outside and safely button up inside our tin can at night.
From what we’ve found today, we’re updating our maps and planning 2 EVAs for tomorrow: a long range scouting mission to extend the mission from today and a close range geological investigation of several domed outcroppings half a kilo from the Hab.
By splitting the work, we more efficiently utilize the time. The adventurers head out mapping the area and find good spots to return to and the scientists check out these spots in detail. I expect this cycle to continue on Mars until there’s nothing left to find, and by that time, people will be heading onward and outward.