SOL 20: “SOS d’un tunnel en détresse”
12:39 AM: Somaya, Robin, and I returned from our morning EVA. After starting the day with some stretches, we put on our suits and headed to Sea of Shells in search of beacons. We found them in less than an hour with our route, after climbing numerous rocky heaps in the desert. We then had to use the path created by high school students from Mirepoix, and it turned out to be, with a few details, the same path we had taken! The landscapes were dreamlike, and after taking one last look at this splendid view, we left the area for good.
Upon our return, Meddi and Quentin were cooking cookies that we couldn’t wait to taste!
05:38 PM: We had lunch, and indeed, the cookies were delicious. Just after finishing the meal, Meddi and I went to the Science Dome. Personally, I had to draw it and make a map of the module reserved for experiments so that we could discuss the different possible improvements again. As I was just finishing my task, we received urgent communication from Erin. An alarm went off at 15:06. She informed us that the corridors connecting the modules were progressively depressurizing and that we had to return urgently to the HAB. We ran back, and upon arrival, it was strictly forbidden for us to open the Airlock doors without a spacesuit.
In fact, recently, the weather has not been kind. There were already signs of tunnel weakening when we arrived, and the gusts from Sol 18 didn’t help. Today is the day they cracked, but fortunately, we are prepared for such situations. Erin was even more so because she had already lived through a mission once, and she quickly took control of the situation. She played the role of HABCOM for a second time today, as she was also this morning, to organize the entire EVA. Somaya, Célyan, and I went out in suits and retied a tarp to plug the gaping hole formed by the gusts. After an hour and a half of EVAs, the tunnels were operational again.
Today was the second EVA for Somaya and I, as well as Erin in the role of HABCOM. Today, we can say that the station held strong thanks to the women of the station. It’s a happy coincidence because today is March 8th, International Women’s Day!