Join the Mars Society and see the Universe! I certainly saw my share of stars today, of both kinds - celestial and TV.

The latter were Anne, Jason and Jenny, who were acting like seasoned professionals, giving the visiting CMT crew the best possible footage of a real EVA. Even though they were asked to repeat key scenes over and over again until everything was just so, they still managed to get additional radiation measurements and shovel testing done.

On the way to the research site, the EVA team encountered a local family who had come out to show MDRS to their out-of-state visitors. Their children were fascinated by our EVA suits and couldn't wait to have their pictures taken with us Martians. Another excellent outreach opportunity!

After the TV crew left with happy faces and gigabytes of film, we could again focus on our tasks at the Hab, finishing the installation of the DC part of the power meter, and taking care of various logistics and planning tasks for our final days at MDRS. It is hard to believe that tomorrow will be our last day of sim.

The night brought out the other kind of stars. The wind was low, so Jenny activated the Musk Observatory, and its 14-inch telescope soon treated us to the most amazing sight: Saturn in full sunlight, with its rings majestically illuminated and a few of its moons visible. This was my first time seeing the rings “live”. I was stunned by the quality of the image. Thanks to all the Mars Society sponsors and volunteers who have built this outstanding observatory.

Signing off for today,

Jan Osburg
Commander, MDRS Crew 47