The biology lab was completely brought online by this evening. All components including equiment and supplies arrived from NASA-JSC and Texas A&M University and were deployed. The equipment in place includes a UV-fluorescent scope and supporting supplies, a gross specimen examination scope, microfuges, vortex mixer, micropipettors, hot plate, and magnetic stirrer. The Hab weather station will be operational on 09FEB02 and will add several additional data points to the sample data.

With all components in place and the Hab laboratory relatively cleaned, we are poised to implement all three phases of the biology mission. Primary biology mission is to create a photosynthetic survey of lithic microorganisms in the Hab vicinity. Samples are taken and as many data points as possible are taken at the sample site. These include GPS coordinates, elevation, relative light meter readings, angle of incidence of sun to sample, etc. Secondary biology mission includes return of the samples to the Hab, and further analysis. The further analysis includes gross specimen microscopic evaluation for rock type and gross biological characterization, subdivision of the sample into a portion to be preserved in 2% glutaraldehyde under refrigeration, a portion to be subjected to fluorescent microscope evaluation, and a portion to subject to the tertiary biology mission. In the tertiary mission, we will test each lithic organism sample for its ability to hydrolyze organophosphorous test compounds in order to detect cold-tolerant versions of the hydrolytic enzyme, organophosphorus acid hydrolase.