On the moon

I'm going to be on the moon for the next couple of weeks. We're simulating surface traverses with a pair of pressurised rovers (represented by a Humvee and a Mule in our case), and we're going to be going out on long distance, two-day missions involving Apollo-style geological sample collection. There are lots of check lists, radio protocols, there's a capcom. Getting out and collecting samples is an EVA. On the Humvee, they are using space suits. Very moon landingish.

In practical terms, from my point of view, it involves following a 4wd truck around on an ATV, carrying extra supplies and just basically being an extra person for getting unstuck from mud type purposes. I was hoping to be able to take the 4x5, but it doesn't look like it's going to happen, at least on the next traverse. From the forecast, the weather is going to SUCK, for values of suck involving 50 knot winds and 8C with rain, and I'm going to be out in it all day for two 18 hour days in a row. I'm not specially looking forward to that, to be honest.

Anyway, there was a dry-run today:




On the Moon
(Photo: Haughton Mars Project/Sarah Thompson)




Going to the Moon mostly involves paperwork
(Photo: Haughton Mars Project/Sarah Thompson)




brian1789 and Charles Frankel on EVA
(Photo: Haughton Mars Project/Sarah Thompson)