Using Twin-Otter aircraft equipped with skis to land on the snow-packed FMARS airstrip, the crew members, including commander Melissa Battler, executive officer Matt Bamsey, geologist Simon Auclair, interdisciplinary scientist Kim Bimsted, and engineer Ryan Kobrick touched down around noon, to join the Advance Engineering Team (AET)
which has been working to prepare the station since April 22. Preparatory activities will continue for another week, at the end of which the last AET members who are not members of the simulation mission crew will be flown out, and crew biologist Kathryn Bywaters, who is now in Resolute Bay to coordinate logistics, will be flown in. James Harris, a member of the AET, will remain to serve as chief engineer. Shortly afterwards, the historic four-month duration Mars
mission simulation in the high Arctic will begin.

Latest reports from the AET are that the station is now in good condition, warmed up with working power, an upgraded internal electrical and plumbing system, and reliable com, albeit at low data rates. Measures are underway to improve the com system, and we expect to have an excellent high data rate communication system in place and
operating in time for the start of the four-month Mars mission simulation.

Then, commencing in early May and running through the end of August, the 7-person FMARS 2007 crew will conduct a sustained program of geology and microbiology field exploration of Devon Island while operating under many of the same constraints as a group of astronauts would during an expedition to Mars. By doing so, they will be able to
test various field exploration techniques, tactics, and organizational strategies, thereby learning what will work best when humans reach the Red planet.

At the end of August, the crew will return and give a full report of their activities at the 10th International Mars Society Convention, which will be held August 30-September 2, 2007 at UCLA. Registration for the conference is now open at www.marssociety.org.

Congratulations to the AET for their successful work and the crew for their put in operation!