Progress continued today on the med evac simulation, and things are shaping up well for tomorrow's test. Click the link for more photos.

Posted by Nick WIlkinson at 9:30 PM | Comments (0)

Preparations are still underway for the EVA med evac sim, which will take place on Monday. The following is a breakdown of the objectives of the experiment, provided by Dr. Rick Scheuring, DO, MS, Advanced Projects/Flight Surgeon (NASA-JSC).

EVA Med Evac Simulation Objectives:

-Demonstrate the ability to coordinate between multiple control centers (in this case Houston, Montreal, Strasbourg), the CEV (Crew Exploration Vehicle, in this case astronauts on-bord the International Space Station), and the EVA crew while conducting EVA operations on an extra-planetary surface.

-Develop management strategy for off-nominal rover traverse navigation

-Develop response plan for unexpected EVA traverse contigencies

-Develop effective management strategy for a planetary EVA medical/field contingency.

-Demonstrate the ability to conduct field (possibly high-angle) rescue operations for an incapacitated EVA crewmember on an extra-planetary surface.

-Demonstrate the ability to conduct remote patient medical diagnosis of an ill/injured EVA crewmember using telemedicine (including ultrasound) techniques.

-Familiarize students (at the International Space University in Strasbourg) with mission control center operations; communications protocols; flight controller responsibilities

-Students to have interactive role functioning as back room flight controllers for EVA, ECLS, Surgeon and SRAG - with responsibilities to work issues real-time with the ExPOC (Houston) - designated front room controllers.

Posted by Nick WIlkinson at 10:26 AM | Comments (0)

Brian Glass, Principal Investigator, Drilling Automation for Mars Exploration (DAME):

To look for ice or especially organics on Mars, we will need to drill below the oxidized and irradiated surface, probably at least 1-2m. Hardened subsurface ice layers aren't going to be addressed with lightweight scoops on manipulator arms, drills will be needed.

But drilling is an art form on Earth, even "automated" offshore oil drilling platforms have control rooms full of people watching and adjusting the drilling. Lightspeed delays of 5-20 minutes to Mars mean that approach won't work -- we will need complete, hands-off drilling with autonomous drills that monitor their own state, watch for choking and cave-ins and unexpectedly hard and soft materials downhole, and adjust themselves immediately to avoid getting stuck or broken.

Ideally taking action to recover -- reaming, changing weight on bit or rotation speed -- or at least going into a safemode and waiting for humans to call in and troubleshoot. And running its own drilling and measurement sequences as sent up from Earth. These fully-automated capabilities are what we have developed in the NASA Mars Technology Program's Drilling Automation for Mars Exploration (DAME) project for a lightweight, low-power (100W) dry-drilling prototype Mars drill by Honeybee, a sibling of the MARTE drill tested in Spain. This fully-automated diagnostic and control capability, developed by NASA Ames and Georgia Tech, is a first, as far as we know.

Haughton Crater in the High Arctic is an excellent place to test Mars drills -- it has a unit of preserved impact fallback breccia similar in texture and structure to lunar or Martian regolith, plus subsurface ice and permafrost just as at the higher Martian latitudes.

In our just-completed field demonstrations at Haughton Crater this season, we had three objectives of three ("3-3-3"): to operate for completely drill-controlled hands-off shifts of three hours or longer, to reach a depth of 3m or more into the breccia, and for the automation to naturally encounter, recognize, and correctly respond to at least three of the six known major fault modes.

We had to tweak our models and parameters a bit in the beginning, because real breccia and ice didn't quite match our frozen laboratory simulants and models. We were surprised to encounter not just two or three, but all six fault modes unprompted! Fairly soon, too... the last one to hit us (choking on excess cuttings) came on 7/24, six days in. And we nailed five of six... the software on its own recognized them, reacted, and did the right recovery action. The human crew were observers... the first time the automation took remedial action to break through an ice layer, it went three times, and on the third cycle it broke through and resumed normal drilling. The humans around all jumped up and cheered and pumped their arms, bundled up sitting in a dome tent in an Arctic crater. It was tangible evidence of how far we'd come in the three years of DAME.

We exceeded our other two goals as well, operating for a cumulative total of 43 hours of autonomous drilling, broken into shifts, the longest was 4.5 hours. Which included a successful live demonstration on 7/27 via videoconference to a group of Mars Technology Program managers and scientists in California. And our final depth was 3.22m before we stopped drilling on 7/28.

One more anecdote: having met and passed all of our goals by Thursday evening, after the NASA videoconference I challenged the DAME team to trust in their handiwork -- to literally walk away from this $100K+ instrument and leave it there drilling unwatched and unmonitored in the crater while the human team went back to base camp for a celebratory dinner and a lecture. I called it the "naked" test, because the drill and sensors would be unprotected if anything went badly wrong. They were nervous, a bit hesitant... but the drill automation worked perfectly in our absence for four hours, drilling and handling an encountered fault and going on just like a future descendant will hopefully do on Mars.

Posted by Nick WIlkinson at 10:18 PM | Comments (0)

Several photos have been posted concerning the upcoming EVA medical evac sim experiment.

Posted by Nick WIlkinson at 9:54 PM | Comments (0)

The HMP RS has been swirling with activity over the past few weeks.

With the Greenhouse and DAME research efforts now complete, the focus at the HMP RS is now turning towards preparations for the third major activity of the season: a simulated medical rescue Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA). Participants from NASA, CSA, Hamilton-Sundstrand, SFU, Mars Institute and several other organizations are busily readying communications systems, biomedical sensors, patient extraction hardware, prototype spacesuits and much more in order to execute a scripted scenario, which will take place on Monday. More details to follow soon.

Many HMP-2006 participants have flown in and out of HMP over the past week. The Greenhouse, astrobiology and geology teams from the CSA have now departed, as have the members of the NASA DAME team and AC Hitch. Dr. Rick Scheuring, MD (NASA-JSC), Tom Chase and Addy Overbeeke (Hamilton-Sundstrand), Dr. Azhar Rafiq (Virginia Commonwealth University), and Steve Chappell (University of Colorado, Boulder, Mars Institute and Rocky Mountain Rescue) have all flown in to help conduct the medical rescue EVA simulation. In addition, Scott Thackrey (University of Aberdeen and Mars Institute), Charlie Mason and Wesley Smith (Morehead State University), and Marius Verscheure (Universite de Paris and Mars Institute) are now in camp to conduct a variety of geological studies. Nick Wilkinson (HMP Project Manager) continues to fly back and forth between Resolute Bay and the HMP RS, working where needed to coordinate logistical support.

The HMP RS is currently supporting 29 participants, all of whom are enjoying and taking advantage of some gorgeous weather conditions.

Posted by Nick WIlkinson at 10:52 AM | Comments (0)

The Arthur Clarke Mars Greenhouse now has two webcams available for public viewing. One show a view of the greenhouse and surroundings from the outside and the other shows some of the interior plant growth trays.

Greenhouse Webcam 1

Greenhouse Webcam 2

Posted by Marc Boucher at 11:17 AM | Comments (0)

Alain Berinstain, Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and University of Guelph, Principal Investigator, Arthur Clarke Mars Greenhouse

Good planning, hard work, an excellent team, and good fortune have resulted in the most successful field season for the greenhouse research team so far. This was the 5th time the Canadian Space Agency, the University of Guelph, and Simon Fraser University have mounted an expedition to Devon Island for maintenance and upgrade of the Mars Institute's Arthur Clarke Mars Greenhouse systems.

The 18 days on Devon Island went almost exactly as planned; in fact, a few additional tasks were added while we were deployed at the HMP Research Station. All systems were upgraded. Additional cameras were added with two gimbal mounts allowing remote pointing, power monitoring and control was refined, wiring was upgraded, distributed data acquisition systems were installed using new, more robust controllers, more reliable heating for spring-time crops was added, additional communications capabilities were added, active nutrient control was added, and more sensors were deployed, all in the aim of bringing the greenhouse systems to a new level of robustness and reliability.

Through our collaboration with the University of Florida, we have begun to carry out some plant studies that will allow us to develop novel techniques for using the plants themselves as sensors of the environment. In addition, we demonstrated teleoperability of plant growth systems within th greenhouse.

On our way out of the Arctic, at the Resolute Bay staging point, we held a debrief meeting with the team to discuss overall impressions of the experience, lessons learned, and ideas for future research directions. Future research directions will see us focussing more on new sensor technologies including biological sensors, and more plant-growth surface area within the greenhouse. Lessons learned include being more disciplined in terms of freezing software changes before the field season begins. Making software modifications in the field can lead to a situation that requires more testing time than we plan for in the field.

The greenhouse before we started working on it this year.

We now enter the autonomous mode phase of greenhouse operations, with a fall crop well underway. This year, we are growing a mix of lettuce, radish, cucumber, and zinnias. It will be fascinating to watch these plants grow remotely and be kept healthy in an autonomous fashion. A spring growth tray, with seeds in place (but kept dry until spring) will wait for spring activation. We are more confident than ever that all systems will be go next May or June when we send the command to begin the spring crop phase. We intend to serve a lettuce, cucumber, and radish salad to the research station camp next July from crops germinated remotely.

The greenhouse after we started working on it this year.

We had a good mix of veterans and rookies on the team, with a good mix of complementary technical expertise. The dynamics of the group were exemplary. The professionalism was admirable. As the Principal Investigator of these research activities, I have never been more proud of the team and our accomplishments.

Posted by Marc Boucher at 10:28 AM | Comments (0)

Aerial Photo of the Haughton-Mars Project Research Station (HMP RS) on Devon Island, High Arctic, taken from a helicopter on July 20, 2006. The HMP RS is managed and operated jointly by the Mars Institute and the SETI Institute. Research at the HMP RS site is supported mainly by NASA and the Canadian Space Agency. Photo HMP-2006 / Pascal Lee.

Posted by Nick WIlkinson at 11:20 AM | Comments (0)

Dr. Richard Léveillé, Visiting Fellow in astrobiology at the Canadian Space Agency.

It's a pleasure to be back for my second year at HMP - the landscapes, geology and biology in and around the Haughton Crater are truly amazing. I am currently focusing on two main projects of importance to astrobiology. Astrobiology is the science of the origin, the evolution, the distribution and the future of life in the Universe. By understanding life on Earth, especially in places like the Haughton Crater and Devon Island, we can learn about the diversity and resilience of life, which in turn helps us to explore for signs of life elsewhere (either past or present), such as on Mars.

The first question I am investigating is did impact-induced hydrothermal systems (i.e. hot springs created by the force of the impact) at Haughton support chemosynthetic microbial ecosystems? At places like Yellowstone, hot springs are inhabited by a diverse community of microbes that live off of the chemicals and gases in the hot water. Could have the hot springs at Haughton also supported such a community of chemistry-loving microbes? Since these hot springs have been inactive for many millions of years, the answer to this question lies in some unique rocks found in and around the crater. Back when these springs were active, the hot waters (groundwater heated by the force of the impact) deposited distinct minerals in cracks and voids in the host rocks (those that were impacted). These minerals include calcite, quartz, gypsum, pyrite ("fool's gold') and marcasite, as well as Fe-oxides. I have collected numerous samples of these hydrothermal deposits for further study back in the laboratory (see below). Of course, we know that many impacts have occurred on Mars – could these impacts have supported life there? This work will hopefully help answer this question.

The second question I am trying to answer is what is the nature and origin of Mars-like minerals in ancient lake sediments found in the Haughton Crater? After the impact, a lake was eventually formed within the crater and sediments were deposited. The lake is now long gone and only the sediments are left. Within these sediments are distinct reddish-orange crusts and nodules. These contain the minerals gypsum, Fe-oxides and Fe-sulphate, among others. These minerals are similar to those found at Meridiani Planum by the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. By understanding these minerals formed at Haughton, we may better understand those at Meridiani and other places on Mars. In particular, it is possible that chemistry-loving microbes may have helped to form the minerals at Haughton. Again, I have collected many samples to be studied back in the laboratory at CSA.

In general, evidence of chemistry-based microbes may include microfossils of the microbes, biominerals (e.g. minerals formed by microbes), isotopic signatures (e.g. distinct ratios of sulfur and iron isotopes), or organic biomolecules (e.g. distinct organic compounds used by chemistry-loving microbes). To investigate these biomarkers, I will be using electron microscopes, mass spectrometers, x-ray based instruments and other laboratory techniques. Hopefully, I will be able to answer the two questions posed above and contribute to better understanding on life on Earth, and possibly helping to search for evidence of life found in rocks on Mars.

Posted by Nick WIlkinson at 8:52 PM | Comments (0)

Another busy day at the Haughton-Mars Project Research Station (HMP RS). As we approach the mid-point in the field season, researchers are making significant strides on a number of fronts for their respective projects.

Traverses were led to the Trinity Lake region and into the Haughton Impact structure to study geology and biochemistry, while the DAME autonomous drilling team continued to refine their operations and attain new milestones. As reported yesterday, the CSA team working in the Arthur Clarke Mars Greenhouse continued with their ambitious schedule and are continuing to report successes. Construction and upgrades to the HMP RS facility are also proceeding very well.

In addition, a telemedicine experiment was conducted. Dr Jean-Marc Comtois of the CSA, assisted by Canadian Forces physician Lt-Col Bruce Bain conducted a simulated patient scenario to test connectivity and fidelity of the telemedicine system. The simulation scenario involved a young researcher who had been in an ATV accident and was complaining of some chest pain and slight shortness of breath and moderately severe abdominal pain. Using a portable ultrasound machine provided by Sono-site Corporation, they performed a FAST (Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma) exam on a real volunteer and these images were transmitted via C-band satellite communication (Anik F1) to a trauma surgeon in Vancouver BC, Dr Ross Brown. The surgeon was able to clearly see the images and, had it been a real situation, these would have proven invaluable in assisting in the management of the patient, including when and if an aeromedical evacuation would have been required. This scenario also demonstrated the utility of having a consultant be able to visualize the patient and potentially be able to direct the practitioner on scene on the performance of certain types of procedures. Having this telemedicine capability greatly enhances the level of care available for real-life emergencies at the HMP site and underscores it's utility for remote medicine in general, be that in the arctic, in space or in other remote sites such as on board ships or submarines.

In the coming days, additional summaries and photos will be provided to outline the many different types of research and other activities that take place at the HMP RS.

Posted by Nick WIlkinson at 8:38 PM | Comments (0)

Alain Berinstain, Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and University of Guelph, Principal Investigator, Arthur Clarke Mars Greenhouse

Our research team arrived at camp on July 7 to begin an ambitious season of maintenance and improvements to the Greenhouse systems. This year, the research team consists of myself, Richard Giroux (Visiting Fellow at CSA), Matthew Bamsey (PhD candidate at the University of Guelph and CSA), Philip Neron (co-op student at CSA from Ecole de technologie superieure), Thomas Graham (PhD candidate at the University of Guelph), Anna-Lisa Paul and Rob Ferl from the University of Florida at Gainesville, and Stephen Braham from Simon Fraser University.

As we prepare to explore the Solar System once again with humans to the moon and eventually to Mars, it is clear that extended stays will require some form of biological life support, in order to decrease the amount of food, water, and air launched from Earth to keep the crews healthy. Plants in greenhouses might play a part in this closed biological life support system, by cleaning the air and water that astronauts will use, and also by providing food for them. These greenhouses will have to operate autonomously, to decrease the work required to tend the crops by astronauts, and also to increase the safety and reliability of the overall system. The systems being developed in the Arthur Clarke Mars Greenhouse are prototypes of some of the systems that may one day be launched to the moon or Mars.

Our autonomous greenhouse in the Arctic produces and manages its own power, has its own communications system for command and telemetry, and a robust data acquisition and control system for making measurements and maintaining the environment in the greenhouse. This project began in 2002 and every year we improve the systems and make them more reliable and more robust. This past winter was the first winter where our systems survived the winter and were operational when we arrived at camp. As usual, we learned a lot this past year to help plan for an even more robust system in the future.

This year's activities are focusing on increasing robustness and increasing our diagnostic capabilities. We are making improvements to the redundancy in the power generation system by having loads shared between power supplies. The biggest job this year is to replace the data acquisition system with a system that is rated to function at lower temperatures than the former system. We are taking advantage of this major overhaul to rewire most systems and route wires bundles along common paths. There are many sensors in the greenhouse, this means a lot of wires. We are also increasing redundancy in the system by adding a second MSAT ground station to the greenhouse. We have reviewed and created new operational modes that will allow us to "stay alive" at minimum power levels during the coldest, darkest times of the long winter. During these long winters we only generate power with our wind generators, because our solar panels are not useful since the sun does not rise for over 3 months in the winter on Devon Island.

Another major improvement this year is an increase in the camera monitoring capabilities of the system. Last year, we had a total of 3 cameras active (2 internal, one external). This year's improvements will see us going from 3 to 7 cameras (6 internal, one external). The internal camera sits on a gimbal that will allow us to point the camera in any direction. We have learned from the past that camera views need to be more zoomed in on plants instead of pictures of the general area. This year's camera views will all be very small fields of view except for the internal gimbaled camera and the external camera.

Since 2002, we have been mostly preoccupied by the design and engineering aspects of the greenhouse systems, making them more reliable, in order to create a stable environment for plant growth and plant science in this unique greenhouse that mimics the way a greenhouse will operate on the moon or Mars. We are now more confident than ever that we can move our focus from mostly engineering to an ever-increasing amount of science. To that end, this year, we are implementing an actively-controlled nutrient control system that measures the pH and electrical conductivity of the plant nutrient solution and adjusts these parameters as the plants grow and metabolize.

In addition, we are now collaborating with researchers from the University of Florida in Gainesville to use the greenhouse environment to begin to grow Arabidopsis plants that can be used to track plant stress by analyzing which genes are expressed in the system. We are also going to be growing some test plants within an enclosure that can photograph the fluorescence (a green-colored light) that is given off under different conditions. Additional goals include being able to teleoperate this enclosure from our home laboratories after we leave Devon Island.

Half-way through our two-week stay on Devon, all is progressing well due to impressive good planning by the students and post-doctoral fellow involved in this project. The plan is ambitious, but all new systems have first been tested in our development greenhouse at CSA in Montreal (we call this greenhouse "the analogue for the analogue"). We will shortly begin our operational phase and be present for the first few days of operation to monitor and diagnose and fix any bugs that may surface.

An ambitious plan, a robust system, a motivated and professional team, and a successful season so far. Our research project continues to go well and we continue to learn many lessons that are helpful for preparing for the exploration of the moon and Mars by humans, and, in addition, we are developing technologies and ways of working that can also help the greenhouse industry on Earth.

About the Mars Institute's Arthur Clarke Mars Greenhouse

The Haughton-Mars Project (HMP)'s Arthur Clarke Mars Greenhouse (ACMG) was donated by SpaceRef Interactive, Inc. and established at the HMP Base Camp (now HMP Research Station) with initial sponsorship support from NASA. The ACMG facility is currently managed and operated by the Mars Institute, in partnership with the SETI Institute and Simon Fraser University. Dr. Alain Berinstain of the
Canadian Space Agency and the University of Guelph is the current Principal Investigator in the ACMG. The ongoing investigation is supported by the Canadian Space Agency, the University of Guelph, Simon Fraser University, and the SETI Institute.

New Images of the Arthur Clarke Mars Greenhouse

Posted by Marc Boucher at 7:13 PM | Comments (0)

The weather cooperated just enough yesterday so that we could get one Twin Otter flight to the HMP Research Station (RS). Onboard were Brian Glass (NASA), Kris Zacny (Honeybee), Shannon Statham (Georgia Tech), Alex Spadoni (Georgia Tech), Patrick Audlaluk (Grise Fiord) and Tom Kiguktak (Grise Fiord).

Today the The Drilling Automation for Mars Exploration (DAME) team will get their project started in earnest. The Arthur Clarke Mars Greenhouse team is past just past the midway point in their field season and we'll have a report available tomorrow on their activities.

There are currently 39 people at the HMP Research Station.

Posted by Marc Boucher at 9:03 PM | Comments (0)

Yesterday we had one Twin Otter flight to the HMP Research Station (RS). Onboard were Pascal Lee (Mars Institute/SETI Institute), Camille Desportes (Mars Institute), Rhoda Akeeagok (Grise Fiord), Howard Cannon, Gale Paulsen and Edward Balaban from the NASA DAME team. Leaving the HMP RS was Perry Johnson-Green (Canadian Space Agency) who has completed his work.

Since we put in a couple of people early yesterday it was decided not to send any flights over today. Weather permitting we'll have a flight tomorrow with six people onboard and their cargo. There are currently 33 people in camp.

Posted by Marc Boucher at 10:55 AM | Comments (0)

Everyone at the HMP Research Station is settling in and research activities are ongoing. The weather has been good for several days. Today we have scheduled one Twin Otter flight to arrive bringing in more cargo and the return of Pascal Lee, principal investigator of the HMP. Tomorrow we have scheduled two Twin Otter flights which will ferry cargo and the NASA led DAME drilling team. The Drilling Automation for Mars Exploration (DAME) project, is developing automation for future Mars (or other planetary) drills. Also scheduled to be on the flight from Resolute to the HMP RS are Camille Desportes, another of the Mars Institute interns and Rhoda Akeeagok from Grise Fiord.

This week the Canadian Space Agency Arthur Clarke Mars Greenhouse team began upgrades to the greenhouse. Since 2002 the Dr. Alain Berinstain of the Canadian Space Agency has been principal investigator of the Mars Institute's Arthur Clarke Mars Greenhouse. Dr. Berinstain will provide a report shortly outlining this years goals and progress. You can view these earlier reports.

• 2005 Preliminary Fall Report (PDF format)
• Arthur Clarke Mars Greenhouse Update, July 20, 2005
• Arthur Clarke Mars Greenhouse Photo Report, July 23, 2005
• Arthur Clarke Mars Greenhouse Photo Report, July 28, 2005

Also this week Alex Lasslop of CNES, the French Space Agency, began his psychology research project. His goal at the HMP RS is:

On one side to be a participative observer, in order to get a personal experience of an isolated, confined, and hostile environment, and to observe how people interact in such special circumstances, which are close to what could be encountered on the Moon.

On the other side I wish to conduct a series of studies to analyze the group dynamics taking place in such environments (the impact of interpersonal and intercultural issues on the interaction of the crewmembers, and the influence of the crewmembers social characteristics, personality traits, and interpersonal needs on measures of behavior and performance at the end of their mission).

There are currently 28 people at the HMP Research Station with that number expected to rise to 37 by tomorrow.

Posted by Marc Boucher at 10:56 AM | Comments (0)

On Monday our one scheduled Twin Otter flight made it to the HMP Research Station (HMP RS) bringing in more field support participants including Pauline Akeegok (Grise Fiord), Brandy Iqaluk (Resolute) and Philip Junior Manik (Resolute). Leaving the HMP RS as scheduled was Daniel Iqaluk. As well on Monday evening three more participants arrived in Resolute Bay. They were from the Canadian Space Agency, Martin Lebeuf and Richard Leveille and Mars Institute intern Melissa Rice. They spent the night in Resolute and yesterday flew over to HMP RS. There are currently 28 people at the HMP RS.

In the last week the HMP RS has been prepped for this years research activities. A report on this weeks research activities will be available in the next couple of days.

Posted by Marc Boucher at 4:54 PM | Comments (0)

For the last several days the weather has been good enough to allow us to get nine Twin Otter flights to the HMP Research Station from Resolute Bay. Five flights went over on Thursday ferrying cargo and the following participants from the Canadian Space Agency, Dr. Jean-Marc Comtois, Matt Bamsey and Tom Graham as well as PJ Attagootak (Resolute student), Sarah Huffman (NASA) and Alex Lasslop (CNES).

Yesterday four Twin Otter flights made it to the HMP Research Station ferrying the bulk of the remaining cargo we had as well as the following participants: From the Canadian Space Agency; Alain Berinstain, Richard Giroux, Philip Neron, Lydia Calhoun, Marc-Andre Lavoie, Perry Johnson-Green, Gordon Osinski and from the University of Florida, Rob Ferl and Anna-Lisa Paul and from Simon Fraser University, Colin Russell.

This brings the number of staff and participants at the HMP Research Station to 25. We are on schedule and anticipate getting the research activities started in earnest within the next couple of days.

Posted by Marc Boucher at 4:55 PM | Comments (0)

On Tuesday, July 4th part of the Mars Institute core team arrived at the HMP Research Station on Devon Island. Two Twin Otter flights brought in base camp manager John Schutt, deputy base camp manager Samson Simeonie, Canadian principal investigator Stephen Braham, one of his assistants Christine Peres, A C Hitch, Jesse Weaver, Connie Pudluk and Daniel Iqaluk.

They are currently preparing the HMP Research Station for the arrival of the participating researchers. Today, weather permitting, one flight is scheduled to go to Devon Island carrying cargo. As well the second charter has left Edmonton this afternoon on its way to Resolute with cargo and several participants including researchers from the Canadian Space Agency.

Posted by Marc Boucher at 4:56 PM | Comments (0)

The first charter plane arrived in Resolute Bay yesterday on schedule with the initial Mars Institute core team and cargo. Another charter with personnel and cargo is scheduled to arrive in Resolute on Wednesday, July 5th.

An initial assessment by the Polar Continental Shelf Project pilots of the landing strip on Devon Island at the HMP Research Station indicates it may be acceptable for use at this point. A reconnaissance flight to the HMP Research Station is scheduled for later today, weather permitting. Should the reconnaissance flight take place and if conditions are good then the first team will attempt insertion tomorrow to begin preparing the HMP Research Station for this years field activities.

Posted by Marc Boucher at 5:06 PM | Comments (0)