Commander’s Report
2/15/2015
Paul Bakken
1 – Cross crew support
2 – Comms
3 – Birthday celebration
4 – Extended engineering EVA
5 – Ozone machine trial
6 – EVA plan for next 3 days
Greetings Mission Support!
Crew 149 awoke this morning to the smell of freshly baked cinnamon caramel rolls, in honor of crew member Miscodan’s 19th birthday (in Mars years). Having benefited from the rest of yesterday, the crew stepped up the operation tempo and accomplished the following today:
1 – We continue to support the two projects still in the Hab that were initiated by previous crews.
2 – After another disruption, we fell back to the last known good configuration of comms. Comms are currently slow, but stable.
3 – In light of the occasion of her birthday, I declared Crew member Miscodan to be a “Martian Princess for a Day.” She received a Martian tiara and, later on, crew member Sullivan somehow produced a delicious chocolate cake.
4 – Crew member Sullivan and I executed an extended engineering EVA to do the usual engineering tasks, but also to police up trash around the Hab area. It was very windy today, and a noticeable amount of debris blew into and about the area. It looked untidy, and if there is one thing that Crew 149 will not abide, it is untidy quarters. We also took this opportunity to tear down the outer shell of the Trapezium and pack up the plastic to be hauled away with the rest of the trash.
5 – The first methodical trial of the ozone laundering machine occurred today. My crew members were kind enough to lend me their odiferous socks for treatment and noses for evaluation. Pairs of socks were split into control and experimental groups. The control group was aired our in the engineering airlock. The experimental group received a three hour treatment in the ozone machine. Afterward, the socks were presented in random order to each of the crew to evaluate both strength and “unpleasantness” of the odor. This part of the study was blind to the evaluators, as they were not told whether the socks had been in the control group or experimental group. I am still collating the data, but a cursory analysis shows that the ozone treatment results in socks that are less offensive than just airing out.
It also just occurred to me that today my crew sat around a table smelling stinky socks for science. Surely the road to Mars will be paved with many such sacrifices.
6 – We submitted a batch request for EVAs during a period of comms stability last night. We are awaiting a response to determine the work plan for those days.
Overall, the crew is eager to be back to work on our various projects. I, too, am pleased to be able to pivot my attention back to my own projects and supporting those of my crew. But look at me: still taking when there’s science to do!
I will need to wrap up this report. The female members of Crew 149 have conspired to engage in (very loud) karaoke, and it is become difficult to concentrate. I have briefly considered mutiny but, since I’m in command, that wouldn’t accomplish much.
Perhaps if I feed them braided bread they will stop?
Respectfully submitted,
Paul Bakken
Commander, MDRS Crew 149