EVA Description: EVA-7 was a scouting EVA to practice orientation with the GPS system and different maps. In addition, for the first time the EVA team was equipped with UV-dosimeters of the German Luft and Raumfahrtgesellschaft DLR (German organization of aeronautics and space technology.

Team members: Geologist Sigi Belzer and Biologist Patrick Diel.

A bright monolith was chosen as landmark. EVA team stopped in a field covered by great rocks. Some of the rocks were geologically investigated. Sample probes were taken. Samples 7.1, 7.2, 7.3 will be described in the upcoming geology report.

A nearby hill was climbed. In honor to our commander it was named mount Klaus. Form the top of the hill a sequence of pictures was taken to produce a 360-degree panorama for orientation.

The canyon were the drilling probes of EVA-6 were taken could be identified. From this location it was visible that the sediments which built the geological formation of drilling sample point 3 (planned to take a probe at EVA-9) form a layer which spreads in north south orientation over a distance of at least 500 meters.

EVA 8 Report -Tom Dirlich

Timeline of EVA-8:
15:20	suiting procedures
15:50	EVA team enters the airlock / pressure adjustment
16:00	EVA team leaves the airlock
16:05	designated site reached
16:35	the landing site for the balloon is prepared
16:45	balloon fully inflated
16:54	payload tests begin in a height of 10 m
17:13	balloon lost
17:15	balloon explodes
17:25	EVA team back in the airlock
17:35	desuiting
18:00	mission debriefing

The task on EVA 8 was to establish a landing and storage site for the scientific balloon relatively close to the Hab. Then the balloon was to be launched carrying a test payload consisting of a digital pressure and temperature monitor with radio link to the ground station and a standard walkitalki. This first run for the balloon was to gather basic data on the atmospheric conditions surrounding the Hab. Further more it was thought of using the balloon as a relay station for EVA team to Hab and back radio connection, enlarging the radios radius around the Hab.

At 4 pm the team of three (Totzek Commander, Wierzchowski , Dirlich) left the Habitat for the site near by. They constructed the landing site by cleaning the soil, spreading a cover and attached that to the ground with long nails. The balloon (made of very light flight aluminium skin) was brought to the site and unrolled by two crew members. It was then filled with approx. 6000 liters of helium and secured by different tethers to the ground. Always two rolls with tether cord were attached to the two EVA members suits. The payload was attached and the balloon was slowly released, guided by with the tethers attached to the crew (similar to a guided kite).

Wierzchowski and Dirlich had both two tethers attached and Totzek was holding the security tether. The construction of the tether dispensers did not work out as planned and the cables got intertwined and could not be dispensed properly. First Wierzchowski then Dirlich had to release the tether dispensers from their suits (they were transported along with the rising balloon). The balloon now was controlled only by the security tether.

Dirlich came up with a different fixation for the tether dispensers. The balloon was lowered again and Dirlich first fixed the dispensers back to his suit then to Wierzchowski's. The balloon guidance then done by those two which worked out fine. The radio link to the monitor on board the balloon sent valid data to the ground station. The security tether though was to heavy limiting the maximum flight height of the balloon to 30 m thus the team decided to remove the heavy cable and guide the balloon with the tethers of Wierzchowski and Dirlich.

The balloon was lowered and Totzek detached the security cable and held the balloon. On signal he released the balloon. Quicker than calculated it rose. At a attitude of 20 m Wierzchowski and Dirlich try to slow its accent but the force of the balloon was too strong. The payload box tore from the balloon and the balloon quickened its accent. At a attitude of several hundred meters the ground crew could hear a audible pop, resulting probably from the explosion of the balloon due to pressure difference. The payload equipment could be retrieved no further damage was suffered.

The data and images gathered during the whole EVA will be very helpful to improve the on going of the mission. The crew is discussing the possibility of a second balloon experiment. The materials for this though have to be gathered still. Summarizing one can say that the balloon experiment, even with the loss of the balloon itself, has be quite successful. Very luckily for all the second German film team arrived a day early and has documented the whole EVA.