Journalist's Report

February 7, 2008

Anna Grinberg



Crew 66 is a hardy bunch! Today we woke to the ominous sounds of a quiet Hab. Normally we are roused in the morning by the gentle rumbling of the furnace fan and the low squeal of the toilet pump as crew members start the day. But not today! The generator decided that enough was enough, and it was time to strike. This left us without lights, Internet, heat… and even compromised our toilet. Luckily the problems had been foreseen the night before, and Don and Perry were soon on their way back to “Earth” to get a new generator. Lack of power is not a problem for crew 66 – merely a bump in the road!

Since most of our daily maintenance activities were no longer possible, we found other ways to amuse ourselves. Kerry and Mic explored Candor Chasma and Burgener Ridge on the ATVs, and returned with loads of interesting rocks to examine. Meanwhile Arthur tackled the massive pile of rope in the Engineering area. Whether he really wanted to solve the puzzle, or if he was trying to procrastinate and avoid other looming work, we aren’t sure! He was triumphant in unraveling two ropes that were 470 ft and 790 ft in length. Cheryl, Nasim, John, and Anna remained in the Hab, trying to figure out where best to place the plants in the GreenHab and playing a cutthroat game of Dutch Blitz.

Cheryl had a surprise for our crew returning from EVA. No, it wasn’t a backup battery bank, or increased bandwidth. It was even better! Chocolate muffins greeted Mic and Kerry as they walked into the Hab, and Kerry claimed he could smell them outside the Hab. It’s incredible what baking can do for morale.

Soon after lunch, we heard a door open, and it was Don and Perry arriving back with a new generator. The Hab began bustling as the generator was installed. Water filled the Hab tank, the GreenHab was up and running, and the engineers tackled the 3rd ATV to get it on the road again. Preparations for tomorrow’s Japanese film crew visit included an EVA by Arthur and Kerry to remove the skirt around the Hab that protects it during cold temperatures and to sweep the front porch for our guests. The rest of the crew cleaned the inside of the Hab from top to bottom, and now it’s squeaky clean.

Sayonara! In a couple of minutes its time for some good ol’ fashioned chicken tettrazini.

P.S.: Congrats to the crew of Atlantis for a successful launch.

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