HMP Research Station | Haughton-Mars Project: HMP Research Station Status Report

Jesse Weaver (technician), John Schutt (HMP Base Camp Manager) and Jarloo Kiguktak (former Mayor of Grise Fiord) went on a traverse to scout possible paths for the upcoming Mars-1 Humvee Rover traverse. Their scouting is being treated in this scenario as mock robotic scouting. Their panoramic photos and other information is being used by the Humvee traversing team to assess the viability and safety of the possible routes.

Another group headed to the DAME site. The traverse was led by Dr. Pascal Lee (Director, HMP / NASA Ames, Mars Institute, SETI Institute) and included Mary Roach (Author of best sellers Bonk, Stiff and Spook), Eleanor Whitworth (daughter of Alex Whitworth, writer), Marcelo Vazquez (NSBRI, Space Radiation Liason) and [yours truly] Elaine Walker (EPO, HMP, Mars Institute), who did a video interview of the DAME team. Pascal's dog, Ping Pong, came along as well.

We are keeping a watchful eye on the weather forecast and cloud cover above us in anticipation of the rare solar eclipse event happening early in the morning - 4:23 AM on August 1. Stephen Braham (HMP Associate Director), with the help of Christine Pires (HMP, System Support Specialist) and Steve Baird (UBC / HMP Field Assistant), is setting up the technology to have streaming video of the solar eclipse on MarsOnEarth.org.

In the event of complete cloud coverage, the video feed will show the HMP Research Station dipping into darkness for a fleeting moment. For HMP participants who have been experiencing continuous sunlight for multiple weeks, this will be spectacular in itself.

Photo Set: HMP RS - July 30, 2008

"HMP7SFU Portable Elaine out and clear"