Crew commander and all-around great guy Alex Diaz arrived last night and this morning briefed us on his stretcher/EVA rescue operations. Josh and Peter repaired the backpacks in preparation for EVAs that will test the ability of astronauts to get injured comrades into bases. No EVAs today, though, as there are very high winds all day today and through tonight. The Hab is shaking right now. It's like a metal tent in an alpine storm. Crazy creaking and booming as the winds blow and blow. Yesterday the Greenhab suffered some wind damage. Anyway, having gotten plenty of material for my article and needing to get on to some other work, I'll be leaving Mars for Earth tomorrow. The life of the roving journalist... It's been a crew with unusual rotations: Alex couldn't make it the first week because of tests he needed to supervise at Boeing, while Kavya had to leave on Saturday because of tests she needed to supervise at Boeing. Of course, on Mars, all the work will be on one planet and in one place (at least at the start)! Since Jorge originally had planned on heading out with Kavya and is here this week instead, thankfully Crew 141 won't be down a hand. The engineers will be busy testing rescue scenarios with their stretchers over the next three days or so, then it's a wrap for a fascinating crew doing fascinating work. Keep track of the work on this blog--and thanks to all my crewmates for being such good folks and new friends. It's been great! Over the next few weeks I'll be writing an essay/article on the idea of Mars settlement as an extension of the carrying capacity of the Solar System. I've also promised a piece to The Mars Quarterly. So keep an eye out for more things Martian, and if you happen to be near Tucson, check out the Mars Madness! Exhibit at the University of Arizona Special Collections.
--Christopher Cokinos, Crew Journalist
--Christopher Cokinos, Crew Journalist