Greetings from Mars to Earth: The first thing we did this day was to find a solution for the problems we have with the Greenhab, because finally the water circulation of the Greenhab produces the flushing water for the liquid toilet. We found a solution and now it works again.

Another problem was the fresh water pipe. When Patrick wanted to refill the water tank inside of the Habitat, we found out that it was frozen. A few hours later, when the sun shone down to the pipe, we were able to refill the tank.

Patrick and Sigi worked with the microscope. They used it to analyze some samples they had made the day before. Patrick tried to make some digital pictures of the samples as seen through the microscope, but this did not work. I think that this depends on the camera system.

Tom tried to solve the problem with the Greenhab. Maybe one of the pipes just was plugged.

Meanwhile Klaus was building the basket for the balloon pillow test, but stopped to help suit-up the EVA 07 team.

Patrick and Sigi left the Habitat at 12.55 p.m. On the planet Mars we do not have any streets, so it is absolutely necessary to find a way that makes it possible to navigate on the surface. On their ride through the terrain, Sigi and Patrick set markers on the surface and saved their locations via GPS. They both returned to Hab at 02:00 p.m.

On this EVA, for the first time, the team has attached special films (to the Mars suits) that determine when the crew gets caught in a crossfire of ultra violet radiation. Unfortunately all GPS data has been lost due to low battery charges in the GPS instrument.

After a short discussion, the crew once more prepared for another EVA. Heike, Tom and Klaus put their suits on to start one of the highlights of this mission: They wanted to test the pillow balloon. This balloon should be used for a mapping experiment, which shall help the astronauts to optimize the first EVAs. At first, team EVA-08 prepared an ascent and descent platform approximately 20 meters away from the Habitat. Then they secured the pillow by 5 lines on the ground and filed the pillow with the helium. When the filling was complete, we attached the basket (including a radio controlled weather station). The pillow ascended a few times up to an altitude of approximate 30 to 50 meters. Every thing worked well. What a wonderful feeling!!!!

But! We have had wind speeds of approximately 1.00 to 1.5 meters per second. The connection between the pillow and the basket was broken, the basket crashed down and the pillow was blown away (far, far away) into sky. The fitting broke. So we have lost the pillow. But we have a lot of experiences in the use of such instruments for measuring.

EVA 08 was accompanied by a TV team that made some fantastic pictures.

Team 08 removed the platform and returned into the Habitat.

Sure, from the point of view of the material used, it was a disaster. But we have gained a lot of information in the use of a balloon as a measuring instrument. The diffuser is okay.

We discussed what and why this balloon problem happened, and worked out another plan using a balloon. The experiment has shown that principally the use of a balloon is possible, but a different handling method is necessary.