Journalist Report
01/04/2014
Prepared byElizabeth Howell
When Apollo 15 landed on the moon in 1971, the first thing the crew did upon arriving was a survey of their site. They bled the oxygen out of their spacecraft and then, essentially, popped the hatch on the top to take pictures of the surrounding area.
Surveying is also what Crew 133 did upon arriving on Mars today (Jan. 4). We're making sure that we know what is safe, and what is the right etiquette for living on another planet. We were grateful to have the help of Crew 132 in this endeavor. They gave us a great overview of the facilities, told us how to get ready for spacewalks, and gave us tips on all the little things that are needed to have a group of people work successfully in a small space.
As a first-time visitor, I realize that success on Mars flows from having institutional memory to teach each arriving crew what is required. Both written documentation and human contact are useful for this understanding. We're grateful to have both sets of education in hand as we embark upon our adventure.