0127-CommanderReport

Crew Commander Daily Report

Sol 04

Crew 162

Crew Commander: Renee Garifi

Today our crew practiced resource management, an underutilized skill on

Earth when convenience stores are often within walking distance of most

Earth homes. Run out of rice? Get in your automobile and drive 5 minutes

to a grocery store where you can purchase not only dried pantry goods

but fresh fruits and vegetables available year round regardless of

season or country of origin. This is not the case on Mars where every

last drop of water and mega byte of internet has to be accounted for in

order to prevent a contingency plan or to request a resupply, which

could take months or years depending on technology readiness and

Earth-based space program budgets.

Our crew has been conscious of water, food and fuel supplies, monitoring

our usage daily and reporting back to mission control. We arrived to the

habitat 4 sols ago and have been conserving water as would any crew at a

base with limited access to renewable supplies. I authorized all crew to

take a short 5 minute shower for the first time since our arrival to the

hab. This news was well received as the crew was eager to prepare our

hab and our professional appearance in anticipation of the arrival of

our visiting crew tomorrow morning, on Sol 05. Following a nutritious

lunch of chicken salad with fruit and vegetables and homemade country

bread, our crew was renewed in mind, body and soul and ready to take on

our next planning task.

Until tomorrow, Crew 162 Commander Garifi, signing off.