MDRS Crew 34
Engineering Team - MDRS Mod2 Refit Crew
"Junkyard Wars Rotation"
February 6 - February 20, 2005

"Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."
 - Sir Winston Churchill, November 1942.

The MDRS, Mod 2 project (the Refit) was originally planned as an enhancement project with intentions of bringing everything up to International code. This was originally planned as a 4 week, 15 person crewed event, To better incorporate the refit into the MDRS schedule, and because of our donors, it was instead incorporated as a standard crew rotation with a crew compliment of 10.

What we ended up doing was almost exclusively bringing Hab as close as we could to code, and make it as safe as we could in the time and limited budget that was allotted to us. To this end, we rewired the upper decks, and the outlets on the lower decks, re-plumbed most of the piping, added guard railing on the forward entry deck, a new fire escape, and correctly supported the upper deck "Diving Board" fire escape exit.

For enhancement, we added the Atwood Mobile Products LP range, started installation on the Atwood Mobile Products LP water heater, reset all of the hot and cold water faucets to the correct side, frost proofed the Greenhab systems, and perhaps most visibly, moved all of the consumables, including the Generators, across a hill in an area designated "Main Engineering". The water tanks, LP tanks, gasoline cans and generators were moved to that location. A 500 gallon diesel tank was added to this area and plumbed directly to the generators, eliminating the need for Crew Engineers to refill the generator. This was done to increase safety, improve fidelity of sim, and to improve the visual appearance of Hab.

Name	Speciality
Paul Graham	Mission Commander
James Harris	Executive Officer & Health & Safety Officer
Sarai Batchelder	Asst. Engineer
Gregorio Drayer	Crew Engineer "Flight Mechanic"
Ed Fisher	Asst. Engineer
Don Foutz	Local Martian Support Coordinator
Ben Huset	Crew Journalist, Asst. Engineer
Peter Kokh	Asst. Engineer / Electrician
Kevin Saka	Senior HVAC Research Specialist

Paul Graham	Paul Graham has been working as an Engineer for Mission Support since FMARS 2002 and is the current Engineering Team Coordinator. In this crew however, he is not going as Engineer, but is instead proving Dr. Zubrin's concept that a Mission Commander should be a completely rounded Jack of All Trades. He also intends to prove that Engineers can be outstanding Leaders and will bring a diverse viewpoint to his research project on Crew/Mission Support Communications. His professional qualifications include attending Colorado School of Mines where he studied Engineering Physics, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering as a triple major, and has worked in every building trade, including several years as a plumber, a tinner and an electrician. He has extensive RV experience from construction, repair, refitting, and living, having spent two years as a "full timer" and even spent a few days working on the ARES rover. Currently he is the CTO of Alpine Systems a PC consulting company where he loves to teach people how to use their computers in a fun creative manner and Alpine Systems Engineering, a Linux/Unix consulting and Web/e-mail hosting company where he spends most of his time building and breaking servers and figuring new and creative ways to use or abuse computers and electronic hardware. He is currently working on several Embedded controller real time telemetry and streaming media projects, including the most impressive car mounted computer project. His other interests include writing (He is currently writing a novel with several published short stories and non-fiction magazine articles), photography, videography, theater, acting, mountaineering, hiking and other outdoor activities, SCUBA diving, and he is an amateur radio operator (KC0IFZ).
James Harris	James Harris, is a network support supervisor at Austin Community College in Austin, Texas. A sixth generation Texan, he has worked as a lifeguard, electrician, computer design and production technician, and chef. Currently an undergraduate pursuing a double major in Computer Science and Computer Engineering, James hopes to acquire an advanced degree in data communications by the time he reaches his 40th birthday. He currently holds an Associate of Science degree in Computer Science, many technical certifications in network administration, various emergency response certifications, and various OSHA approved heavy equipment certifications. His hobbies include motorcycles, hunting and camping, darts, and amateur astronomy. As a member of the Mars Society since 1999 James is active on the web and database teams and serves as Webmaster for the Political Task Force. Most recently James served as Communications Engineer for MDRS Crew 22 where he became familiar with the operation and maintenance of the habitat as well as the GreenHab and Musk Observatory.
Gregorio Drayer	Greg Drayer is 26 years old, and is making his second trip to MDRS, as he was Chief Engineer for last season's Crew 28. Proud to have served the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) for four years now, in support of the United Nations Programme on Space Applications as National Representative for Venezuela and currently as a Regional Representative for South America. Serves as National Representative of the Latin-American Space Association in Venezuela. Serves the UNESCO Space Education Programme as the National Focal Point for Venezuela. National Award "Sow the Future" 2001-2002 for an essay entitled "A Post-Petroleum Venezuela" for the World Future Society Venezuela. Has participated in the United Nations' symposia (2001 and 2002) "Enhancing the participation of youth in space activities: Implementing the recommendations of UNISPACE III", sponsored by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, the Austria Government and the European Space Agency. Awarded Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow at the Caltech during 2000 and 2001 sponsored by Caltech and the United States Air Force Research Laboratories (AFRL). Coordinated the Mars Polar Lander (MPL) event in the Ibero-American School of Astrobiology. This was the first time that Venezuela participated in a Planet Fest of the Planetary Society. Received a scholarship from the International Space School Foundation, FUNINDES, Institute of Energy of the Americas, and the Venezuelan American Partership to the International Space School 1999. Has published 33 graphic simulations for various comets including C/2001 Q4 (NEAT) and C/2002 T7, visible comets during Crew 28's mission with its charts published at http://encke.jpl.nasa.gov/charts.html. Studied music nine years at Conservatorio Juan José Landaeta in Caracas (1987-1996). Played percussion with the Chacao Symphonic Orchestra for three years. Graduated as Power Engineer at Universidad Simón Bolívar after recovering a high power CO2 laser for experimental applications in the University's Plasma Physics Laboratory, he is currently conducting graduate research on Control Systems Engineering toward an approach to integrate, control and achieve the physical realization of complex concurrent systems making use of artificial intelligence, for the ultimate goal of sustainability, minimizing the unnecessary impact on the surrounding environment. His research could have a great impact on how we approach the challenges of Sustainable Development on Earth and how we reach to other celestial bodies in the efforts of human space exploration. He plans to become the first Venezuelan Astronaut.
Ben Huset	Ben Huset: Spends much of his efforts giving hands on multimedia presentations to K-12 school groups, home schools, science fiction conventions, including Marscon, Convergence and MiniCon and civic groups on various space topics. Helped staff and then trained and managed staff for space education displays in planetariums, malls, theater lobbies and conventions. Past Director of MN Spaceweek. Helped coordinate display materials, manage display sites and trained and scheduled staffing. Helped staff NASA International Space Station display at MN State fair assisting visitors with hands on computer simulation displays. Created panel displays for Space Shuttle flights and ISS missions for local planetarium lobby and other venues , STS- 26 to current, often with realtime audio and computer world map displays. Staff writer/photographer for L-5 chapter newsletter L-5 Points. Later moved up to editor/publisher of Downrange. Wrote a syndicated monthly news and commentary column on Soviet Space Activity - Mirwatch. Co-authored article for Final Frontier magazine. Became board member, assistant director then executive director of MN Space Frontier Society. Elected regional board member of National Space Society. Campaigned for Presidential Candidate John Glenn. Founding Member of the Mars Society attended many of its conferences including the founding conference. Judge for Twin Cities Regional Science fair. Awarded certificates and prizes for outstanding space related projects. Videographer / producer at many Space Development conferences for cable access programs and chapter use. President of the MN Astronomical Society, during his 4 yrs in office, doubled membership to over 400+ members and brought two observatories on-line each with 16" telescopes. Established and managed an electronic bulletin board system for the easy exchange of information and electronic mail for the Space development community. Set up a desk top publishing system for a non-profit organization's daily operations and monthly newsletter. Set up a presentation computer graphics system for the organization. Currently developing World Wide Web pages for the many organizations that I’m a member of. Private pilot and General Class Amateur Radio operator KA0PSQ! Currently living with a wife, two teen-age kids and 5 cats and lots of computers.
Peter Kokh	Peter Kokh: Peter Kokh joined the National Space Society, then the National Space Institute, as "Life Member #2" shortly after it was founded by Werner von Braun in 1974. As a result of an L5 Society chapter colonizing effort by members of the Chicago and Minnesota chapters (including fellow MDRS crew #34 member, Ben Huset!) in September 1986, he helped confound the (Milwaukee) Lunar Reclamation Society (L5) chapter of NSS. He was chair of ISDC '98, held in Milwaukee. And in 2001, he created and continues to maintain the Space Chapter Hub website to provide a common resource watering hole for chapters of the National Space Society, the Mars Society, and the Moon Society. He has served on the Moon Society Board and as Moon Society Chapters-Coordinator since the fall of 2002, and was elected Moon Society President in August 2004. But Kokh is best known as the editor and principal contributor to Moon Miners' Manifesto. Known widely as "Moon Miners" but referred to by Peter as "the Manifesto." Published ten issues a year continuously since December, 1986, MMM celebrated its 18th anniversary with the December 2004 issue #181. Currently MMM serves several NSS chapters as well as the members of the Moon Society, its principal client. At the International Space Development Conference in Denver in May 1988, Kokh and Dr. Gay Canough began brainstorming strategies to take the discussion of a privately designed and funded lunar polar orbiter capable of searching for water ice at the Moon's poles, out of the realm of paper studies and on to the road to realization. This quickly led to the Lunar Polar Orbiter Conference held in Houston in March, 1989.at which Dr. Alan Binder came aboard to lead the design study. The rest is History. Lunar Prospector orbited the Moon in 1998-9 and far outperformed our wildest expectations. The lesson: determined activists could actually accomplish something of real significance. Peter has tried his hand as an amateur space frontier artist by experimenting with "lunar paints" made entirely from materials producible from moondust. He is also the designer and producer of the 30-some sets of "gravity bricks", many owned by Mars Society chapters, floating around North America. A proud Milwaukeean all his life, Peter's hobbies include astronomy, hiking, his dogs, running a website for his "challenged" inner city Milwaukee neighborhood, and keeping up his home and Wisconsin north woods cottage. The big secret, of course, is that despite Peter's clear interest in the Moon, he started out as "a Mars man" and remains an enthused and dedicated Mars settlement advocate to this day. His rag, MMM, devotes at least one issue a year to Mars, and as chair of ISDC 98, he gave Robert Zubrin the plenary session he needed to announce the founding of the Mars Society to take place in Boulder two and a half months later. Peter is an active core member of the Wisconsin Mars Society. I am energized and excited and hope to have a productive stay!
Ed Fisher	Ed Fisher Ed prepared for his work with the Engineering Team by getting a BA in Chinese History from Johns Hopkins and an MFA in theater from Yale School of Drama. Ed has spent the last twenty years or so building scenery for Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Regional theaters, Television, Theme parks and Live Events, primarily concentrating on mechanical and structural design. Working in the theater has taught Ed how to work to tight schedules and budgets, and how to improvise, all handy skills for Martians. Ed has been a member of the Mars Society for about 6 years.
Sarai Batchelder	Sarai Batchelder: Sarai is a clinical psychologist from NYC where she has a private practice and works as a researcher into new treatments for depression and other mood disorders. She is also a statistical consultant for independent social science research projects around the country. She has no specific engineering skills but is a hard worker, follows directions well, and can dig a mean trench. She has been a member of the Mars Society for about 6 months.
Don Foutz	Don Foutz: Don has become a member of the MDRS Team through his education and experience as an electronics engineer and his expertise as a local ISP. He has been designated the "local service and support advisor" as well as "the guy who can build or fix anything" and works with each of the crews in the programmatic operations of the hab. His need to serve for the welfare of his community and world began several years ago as he became a local ISP for three areas: Hanksville (when larger, corporate service providers would make no commitment to do so), then Richfield and Wayne County, Utah. In 2000, Don ran for the State Senate in District 28 with the hope of making a difference in the lives of the people who live in rural Utah. Don found that it was going to be very difficult to make important changes as just one person in a group of state level political status. He opted, instead, to try to make a difference on a personal level, community by community, by creating a non profit organization, Rural Employment Opportunities, (REO) to aid in the creation of rural IT jobs. Don spends his busy life in working with the REO Team, the MDRS Team, in owning and operating their business, the Whispering Sands Motel. with his wife, Connie and making time to be a great dad to his children, Brady and Savannah.
Kevin Saka	Kevin Saka is a 39 year old Gypsy engineer, and is making his inaugural trip to MDRS. He is an accomplished researcher and design engineer in the areas of HVAC, Combustion, Emissions Controls, Heat Transfer, and Building Energy Analysis. He comes from a cross-functional background in Civil, Mechanical and Chemical Engineering with most of his experience in HVAC, Cooling, and Refrigeration Systems. He has extensive knowledge in the area of cooling cycles and multi-phase / multi-component thermodynamics. Kev enjoys working on and developing new experimental and futuristic cooling systems. He is currently an integral part of a new development program called Buck Rogers Voyage-25, which is aimed at pioneering new technologies that reach out and touch tomorrow today. His career path has been completely unplanned and has unexpectedly turned out to be much more than just having a another job, rather it has been a series of exciting and unparalleled adventures. Kevin’s complete voyage/profile can be viewed at http://www.SoldierofTechnology.com as this portrays a thumbnail sketch of his "Engineering Playland". As well as an educator, he is also an athlete, and plans return a second year for the 2005 Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon. Fascinated with Space Exploration, he one day hopes to become a United States Astronaut, as the unknown mission is to travel into the future on a new rocket-ship to a place called "Tomorrowland". According to Kev, "The best engineers in life don’t get old, instead they become Warriors."
Mama Kitty	Mama Kitty: Deals with unauthorized visitors. Mostly mice.