Despite all the dangers of its rugged surface, our simulated Mars base is inhabited by magic.
As I went through the paces to help wrap up the visit, I made a point of reflecting on the trip and making sure that I committed each experience — and the place itself —to memory, and in as vivid a way as possible. While challenging, the environment is a paradise when compared to. Yes, our facilities were spartan — there are no showers or running water , toilet facilities are, shall we say, very basic, and there is little heating.
We all then proceeded to the runway for the first of two flights. Skies were clear for the first time in days, and a dazzling blue arched overhead. We heard the plane first, of course, since there are no competing sounds out there. The speck to the south resolved into a Twin Otter aircraft that swept in low over the runway, then touched down, large balloon tires throwing up gravel as it bumped down the runway, steering a broad turn to pull up next to the cargo.
As I wrapped up my stay, I thought back on the previous night, with clear skies and a moderate wind. While cold, it had been glorious. The generator had been turned off about 10 p.m., and as complete and total silence descended over the base, the skies began their nightly conversion into a Maxfield Parrish painting.
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