1104-JournalistsReport
Journalist Report
11/04/2014
Dario Parastesh
The 2013-2014 Season First EVA:
It's a new day for the crew 142!! We woke up at 7.30 a.m. and we had a good
breakfast all together. Today milk and granola, but a little bit of Orange juice
and coffee were present on the table. We had a quick briefing about what we were
going to do during the morning and the day too, and we decided to follow the
subsequent program:
- EVA's radios final check.
- Eva's GPS final check.
- ATV's check.
- EVA's suits check.
Well, we really decided to check all the things in a real EVA test before really
going into simulation to ensure that all was fixed. And what can I say, my first
EVA has been the most sensational thing I have ever done in my life. And
probably the rest of the team was feeling the same. And we do it. We spent few
hours walking around the MDRS HAB and taking some nice pictures, exploring the
most part of the environment located just outside the station. It was also a
great time for checking all the equipment everybody had and doing some practice
with the radio communication. All the radios were working perfectly and the GPS
too. So, it was pretty cool to go outside in the desert and return to the HAB
using its GPS location. Two EVA crews were created to train for a real EVA and
check that all the procedures used were correctly done. The two crews engaged a
tough ramble and signed a final waypoint on the GPS locator. When returned to
the HAB, these two crews swapped the commander and went back again to the
waypoint signed before. It was a severe training for everyone, but at the same
time a funny time. The crew will probably resume an EVA in the next few days
since some experiments need to be done outside, but we will decide about that
tomorrow. EVAs are probably the most interesting thing to do if you go on a
different planet because you can collect pictures, but also materials and most
of all, you collect records and thoughts. It's why we had a great time spent
together and so far we strengthened our relationship, we starting to be a family
here. We eat together, we go out together, we work together and we go sleep
together, and nobody is complaining or regretting about the work we do, that is,
we help each other and we try to go on as fast as we can. We are progressing
very well. After the EVA Vincent started preparing the lunch, he made a great
soup with spaghetti and vegetables. I mean, some hot time during the EVA and
after too!! Good work Vincent. The afternoon has seen part of the crew, in the
specific case, Vincent and Carmel, going to Grand Junction to collect part of
the things required for real EVAs, and the remaining part continuing to clean
and organize the HAB for the season coming. Dario and Cyprien continued to clean
the biology lab floor, and most of the work has been done. Christiane has kept
on building the solar cooker and Digby always busy with the computer. Everyone
is clearly apt to consider this place like home and we really trying to
transforming it as our habitat. What can we say more? Before we went upstairs to
the staterooms floor to write our reports, Dario and Digby fixed part of the
EVA's backpacks, in order to complete some tasks before getting into the
simulation. It has been a great day until now, and it's going to be even better
for our dinner, before the sleeping time comes again for all of us. Go for it
Crew 142!!! We are on our way!!!