Status Report

Field Report July 2, 2002 – NASA Haughton-Mars Project

By SpaceRef Editor
July 2, 2002
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July 2, 2002 – Resolute Bay, Nunavut


By: Dr. Pascal Lee

We made it to Devon today! As of this evening, the NASA HMP Base Camp
is in operation again, for a sixth consecutive summer of Mars analog
field research.


After dissipation of this morning’s fog, we were eventually go for launch. Two First Air Twin Otters were
mobilized to support the HMP this afternoon. They completed a total of three flights to Haughton Crater today. John
Schutt, Joe Amarualik, Gordon “Oz” Osinski, and I flew in on the first flight. We were followed by AC Hitch,
Vicky Glass, Matthew Pudluk, Jeff Kheraj, and Sandy Salluviniq on a second plane. The third flight (second
roundtrip for the first plane) brought in Steve Braham, Ginger Howell (our Camp Cook), Melanie Howell (Ginger’s
sister), April Ageeagok, and Solomon Idlout.


We spent the afternoon shuttling cargo from the runway to Base Camp using
ATVs with trailers, taking equipment and supplies out of storage from our
year-round tents, and erecting additional summer-only common tents. The
winterover tents were found to be in good shape, although evidence for
polar bear visits during the winter were clear. St John’s, our main mess
tent, had several bear claw punctures and rips. No sign of actual break-in
however. To protect us from further incursions this summer, we’ll have
our dogs Kelsey (Black Dog’s mother; Black Dog herself died two weeks ago
from sickness), Kimiq (Black Dog’s companion from last summer), and Silla
(Ginger’s dog). We’ll also have our shotguns, just in case.


I flew back to Resolute Bay alone this evening to continue work on other
projects requiring e-connectivity (not yet up from at Base Camp) and to coordinate additional cargo loads for
tomorrow and later this week.


[For larger images and description please click on the image.]

The NASA Haughton-Mars Project Base Camp (foreground) seen during a fly around in preparation for the 2002 field season's first landing on July 2, 2002. The dark rocky mesa in the middle ground is 'The Fortress'. On the other side of the Fortress from the HMP Base Camp stands the FMARS Habitat. The grey hills of Haughton Crater can be seen in the distance.
The HMP-2002 put-in field team on the steps of the Coop Hotel in Resolute Bay. From left to right and top to bottom: Joe Amarualik, Melanie Howell, Jeff Kheraj, Sandy Salluviniq, Ginger Howell, A C Hitch, John Schutt, Gordon Oz Osinski, Kimiq (the dog), Vicky Glass, Steve Braham, Pascal Lee, April Ageeagok, Solomon Idlout, and Matthew Pudluk. John Schutt, NASA HMP Base Camp Manager, with Kimiq, polar bear guard dog.
The GPS receiver on the First Air Twin Otter instrument panel is set to navigate to MARS, i.e., the NASA HMP Base Camp at Haughton Crater, Devon Island. A First Air Twin Otter at Haughton Crater, Devon Island.
The west coast of Devon Island appears through the cockpit window as a First Air Twin Otter as it flies high above the still-frozen Wellington Channel on July 2, 2002. Joe Amarualik, Deputy Base Camp Manager for the NASA Haughton-Mars Project and a Ranger in Resolute Bay, shows the bear claw holes and rips found on the side walls of the large St John's mess tent at the HMP Base Camp.
Behind St John's wall hangs the US flag. Seen from the inside, the bear claw holes let in beams of sunlight that produce eerie specks of light on the flag. Kelsey, polar bear guard dog.


(Photo NASA Haughton-Mars Project 2002 / Pascal Lee)

SpaceRef Editor

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