Astronomy: Today was originally scheduled to be our first night in the observatory. The fact that the telescope is currently not functioning is not a big hit because the weather is currently quite bad. If we can get the telescope functioning by early next week, we may be able to complete our astronomy objectives without losing any science.

Radio, Balloon, and Climber: Today we verified that the robotic climber, which was provided by our sponsor LiftPort, functioned properly by testing the timer, motors, and both contact switches. The robot performed flawlessly. We also had the opportunity to inventory all the climber and balloon system related equipment. Below is a quick list of the equipment we have:

Climber System: LiftPort Climber ('Pearl'), 1 Drywall tape (300 ft roll), 2 Drywall tape (150 ft roll), 4 Garmin etrex GPS unit, 1 Garmin etrex serial cable, 1 Garmin etrex users guide, 1 Rechargeable batteries, 2 Battery charger, 1 Regular touch plates, 2 Magnetic touch plates, 1 Spare motor, 1 Spare contact switches, 2 Spare aluminum cross braces, 2 Nylon washers, 2 Nylon end caps, 2 Nylon bushings, 4 Nylon spacers (1/4" thick), 3 1/8" bolts (3/4" long), 15 1/8" bolts (1/2" long), 9 1/8" bolts (3/8" long), 8 1/8" nuts, 10 Spool of string, 1 Roll of orange emergency ribbon, 1 Spare AA batteries, 8 Small bungee cords, 3 Plastic ties (small), 41 Plastic ties (medium), 13 Plastic ties (large), 2

Balloon System: 10 ft balloon, 1 Balloon inflation instructions, 1 130 ft balloon tether, 1 Inflation hose, 1 Balloon patch kit, 1 Stakes, 3 Corkscrew stake, 1 Helium tanks (300 cubic feet), 4

Human Factors: The crew is continuing to take their human factors tests in the evenings. Taking the tests earlier in the day was also discussed.

Biology: David Blersch finished up his work at the GreenHab today. Thanks Dave!

Geology: During EVA-3, the crew gained some experience using our photo-ionization detector (PID) to analyze soil samples. Doug and John practiced operating this equipment in areas surrounding the hab in preparation for field use later in the mission.