Crew #: 335
Position: Crew Journalist
Report prepared by: Matteo Calore
Date: 23APR2026
Sol: 4
THIRD DAY ON MARS: Candor Chasm
Today some of us woke up feeling a bit nervous. Nighttime is always somewhat difficult: many of us continue to have interrupted sleep or very strange and vivid dreams, which lead to slow and heavy awakenings. The hub never sleeps, and the machines that regulate temperature and air circulation switch on from time to time, interrupting the sleep cycle and bringing us back to the planet.
The morning began slowly, and the filmmakers were busy solving a technical problem while the rest of the crew worked on their own projects. Then we set out on EVA. It felt good to go outside, since yesterday we stayed in the station all day because of the wind. We felt protected, watching from the hub’s windows the dust devils animating the desert floor, moving it from one stretch to another and reshaping the martian landscape.
Today we went to Candor Chasm to collect clay. It was a particularly evocative outing: we crossed a valley in bloom. Mars in bloom is striking, there is an interesting contrast with the expanse of rocks, and it almost feels like a miracle that life can grow in such an arid terrain. Then we reached the gorge of a river that almost no longer exists, and we began descending through its inlets. Each gorge revealed a different landscape, always leaving us surprised. The red color, the stones carved by water, and a few remaining pools created a particularly evocative environment, which we could observe through the helmets of our suits.
The search for clay was demanding, but it was a success. Back at the station we were all exhausted, and now we are preparing for a quiet evening.