The ‘write stuff’ for Mars: Eighteen months
2016-10-28
NASA is pioneering space—specifically, a journey to Mars. Last year, NASA@work challenged the creative writers at NASA to visualize a reality where we have truly become Earth Independent, starting with the first human missions to Mars.
Nearly 50 writers answered the call, and three fiction stories were chosen as the winners of that challenge.
Immerse yourself in their short stories about what might happen when humans first travel to the Red Planet. This post is the third and final of the three stories. See the first and second stories.
Interested in more about NASA@work? NASA@work is an agencywide, collaborative problem-solving platform that connects the collective knowledge of experts (like YOU) from all centers across NASA. Challenge owners post problems, and members of the NASA@work community participate by responding with their solutions to posted problems. Anyone can participate! Visit https://nasa.innocentive.com for more information.
If you haven’t already, be sure to read the fall Roundup, which features JSC’s distinct roles in the human space exploration roadmap to Mars.
Meet Terry Hill, author of the third Write Stuff challenge short story.
Title: Deputy Manager of the Crew Health and Safety Program within the Human Health and Performance Directorate
Years at JSC: 19
In his own words: “I am a science-fiction author when I’m not on the clock at NASA, and a few people who follow my writing informed me of this challenge and encouraged me to submit a short story. I was intrigued by the nature of the challenge and was excited by the opportunity to share my enthusiasm of space exploration with the rest of the NASA community but, more importantly, the possibility of sharing it with the general public. Much of what the public hears about our design reference missions is very high-level and, quite honestly, at times a bit dry and un-relatable to those not in the exploration business. My hope was to produce a story that holds true to the current design reference mission ideas, the laws of physics, the current reality and technology of space exploration, and add in the relatable human element which would allow any reader to feel like they were on Mars with the characters in the story. By telling the story of exploration in a way the average reader can relate to on a personal, emotional level, it has the potential to grow the public's support for our efforts and even spread the excitement to those who might not have caught ‘the exploration bug’ yet.”
Hill has three published science-fiction novels, along with to short stories in two anthologies of the “Future Chronicles” series in 2016.
Below is his Mars fiction story.
Eighteen months
Mars Base 1: Marianas Trench — The pressurized rover crew of the third human mission to Mars busily collects the remaining core drill samples before returning to the main habitat. After fifteen months of exploring, performing science, and collecting samples, the crew uncovers something profound.
Nearly 50 writers answered the call, and three fiction stories were chosen as the winners of that challenge.
Immerse yourself in their short stories about what might happen when humans first travel to the Red Planet. This post is the third and final of the three stories. See the first and second stories.
Interested in more about NASA@work? NASA@work is an agencywide, collaborative problem-solving platform that connects the collective knowledge of experts (like YOU) from all centers across NASA. Challenge owners post problems, and members of the NASA@work community participate by responding with their solutions to posted problems. Anyone can participate! Visit https://nasa.innocentive.com for more information.
If you haven’t already, be sure to read the fall Roundup, which features JSC’s distinct roles in the human space exploration roadmap to Mars.
Meet Terry Hill, author of the third Write Stuff challenge short story.
Title: Deputy Manager of the Crew Health and Safety Program within the Human Health and Performance Directorate
Years at JSC: 19
In his own words: “I am a science-fiction author when I’m not on the clock at NASA, and a few people who follow my writing informed me of this challenge and encouraged me to submit a short story. I was intrigued by the nature of the challenge and was excited by the opportunity to share my enthusiasm of space exploration with the rest of the NASA community but, more importantly, the possibility of sharing it with the general public. Much of what the public hears about our design reference missions is very high-level and, quite honestly, at times a bit dry and un-relatable to those not in the exploration business. My hope was to produce a story that holds true to the current design reference mission ideas, the laws of physics, the current reality and technology of space exploration, and add in the relatable human element which would allow any reader to feel like they were on Mars with the characters in the story. By telling the story of exploration in a way the average reader can relate to on a personal, emotional level, it has the potential to grow the public's support for our efforts and even spread the excitement to those who might not have caught ‘the exploration bug’ yet.”
Hill has three published science-fiction novels, along with to short stories in two anthologies of the “Future Chronicles” series in 2016.
Below is his Mars fiction story.
Eighteen months
Mars Base 1: Marianas Trench — The pressurized rover crew of the third human mission to Mars busily collects the remaining core drill samples before returning to the main habitat. After fifteen months of exploring, performing science, and collecting samples, the crew uncovers something profound.
“EVA1 to Rover. Comm check - suit hatch sealed and maintaining pressure.”
“Roger that EVA1. You’re good to go.”
“EVA2 to Rover - same for me.”
“Roger EVA2. Nice comm protocol. Sounds as if you’ve been on Mars for a while.”
“Negative Rover. Just fifteen months, six days and three hours. Not that I’m counting.” Laughter erupted over the comm loop.
“Understood EVA2. You guys get the last of the sample cores and we’ll head back to the habitat tomorrow.”
Clanking and bumping sounds vibrated through the rover’s walls as the two-suited crewmembers, Dr. Bob Smith (EVA1) and Dr. Rajah Panjul (EVA2), disconnected their suits from the external seal of the pressurized rover. Dr. Sarah Padaway remained in the rover to monitor the communications with the habitat some twenty kilometers away and ready to backup and assist the EVA crewmembers in case of an emergency. She also was field-processing the samples they had already brought into the rover. Doing initial processing in the field allowed the rover crews to increase the surveys completed during any of the two-week excursions.
“The mobile core drill rig (CDR) has been disconnected from the rover and proceeding to drill site forty-one.”
“Copy that Bob,” replied Sarah as she watched the two crewmembers drive the CDR via remote control.
They were part of the first, six-member Martian expedition sent to prove-out different technologies to enable permanent habitation on Mars, perform science experiments, and ultimately look for signs of life, past or present. What wasn’t broadly mentioned prior to their mission was the special committee of the MEPAG (Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group) identified this initial landing site, deep within the Marianas Trench, as the best location for an initial permanent habitation. It provided the greatest atmospheric thickness and pressure, thus radiation protection. Additionally, it provided one of the best locations for minimizing the temperature extremes, being near the equator and under the most amount of atmosphere. MEPAG considered the location to be a good candidate location for liquid water to exist close to the surface and thus the possibility for life. So far the previous forty drill sites had come back dry - in all ways.
“EVA1 to Rover, CDR’s in position and locked down. Beginning drilling.”
“Copy that Bob,” replied Sarah.
“Rover to Hab 1; come in,” signaled Sarah.
“Hab 1 to Rover, we copy you. Go ahead,” came the reply after a few moments from their home base habitat where the remaining three crewmembers lived and worked. Dr. Padaway relayed the team’s progress from the day before and the plans for the current workday.
“Copy Rover. We have received your data upload and will talk with you again same time tomorrow unless something comes up. How are you three holding up out there?”
“Like three peas in a pod, Hab 1.” Dr. Padaway smiled. The commander meant well, bless her. But thank goodness we’re heading back to the Hab tomorrow!
Even with the extreme amount of personality assessments and compatibility testing as part of crew selection, there is nothing easy about personal interactions. Training with the same six people for two years, spending three months together in a space ship the size of a travel trailer en route to Mars, fifteen months in close quarters a long way from home in the habitat, and then multiple two week excursions in a rover the size of a minivan, at some point in time even your best friends’ breathing annoys you. Understanding these normal stressors, the crew was trained to watch out for each other and look out for the signs of stress.
“We’re okay Commander. Thanks for asking. Rover out.” Sarah chuckled.
There were only a handful of remaining sites to sample and then they were done–one way or another. This last drill site region had been defined by COSPAR (Committee on Space Research) as ‘a region within which Martian terrestrial organisms could feasibly propagate’, and due to contamination concerns, it was saved for last. Sarah drew a line through ‘Site 40’ on her list and sighed.
***
The sound of a small bell echoed in the rover cabin. Sarah turned to check the display above the workbench, and makeshift bed, on the opposite side of the cabin.
“EVA2 this is Rover. Looks like you got a message from home.”
The expedition received hourly data syncs across the ‘space internet’ via NASA’s Deep Space Network, Martian ground station repeaters, relay satellites in orbit about the planet, and similar assets around Earth.
“Go ahead and read it to me. We’ve started the drilling, so I have a few minutes,” replied Rajah.
“Okay, it’s from your wife. Wow! Not sure I should’ve read this!” replied Sarah.
“What is it? What’d she say?”
“Just kidding. She just said your water heater at home went out but the crew support office took care of everything,” said Sarah.
“Very funny. Might want to make note of your joke in my ECG data file.”
“Will do Rajah. Now back to work.” Sarah tapped on the display to her right.
Time for a little mood music this morning. Aaron Diehl’s Space, Time, Continuum should do the trick!
Light jazz filled the small cabin as she opened up a small cover to the attached soil viability experiment rack. The light from the grow lamps flooded her workspace.
Interesting…looks like we had a little activity overnight.
She picked up the closest comm microphone.
“Computer open a new note for the soil experiment, time stamp now, and transcribe.”
A new software window opened on her display and was followed by the sound of a ping indicating it was ready.
“It appears the new ion-anion perchlorate transfer mitigation protocol was effective against the higher levels in the trench soil samples. Overnight three bean plants broke through the soil surface. Additionally, six days after the alfalfa sprouted, all plants remain a healthy green. End note. Append pictures from each of the grow chambers and close.” The transcribed notes, in addition to the requested pictures, raced across the screen as she spoke.
A few high concentrations of Martian perchlorate brines were found by satellite scans of the area. Perchlorates have strong attraction to water and can drastically lower its freezing point; therefore it was thought these locations would be good candidates for finding life, since some organisms on Earth use low levels of perchlorates for energy. However, very small amounts of perchlorates are considered toxic as it interferes with the human thyroid, so learning how to neutralize them was important for future habitation.
***
“EVA1 to Rover we have loaded the drill site forty-one core into the storage cylinder. Have fun analyzing that!”
“Wow, has it been four hours already?”
“Copy that Rover. How was your nap?”
“Cute Bob. I was actually finishing the preliminary analysis of drill site forty. Looks like it had a higher than average values for carbonates and methane. We’ll have to do more detail analysis when we get back to the Hab and see if it’s worthwhile going back for more samples.”
“Speaking of organics and methane,” interjected Rajah, “I have to say I’m not looking forward to boarding the transfer vehicle back to Earth.”
“Why?,” asked Sarah.
“Seriously? Have you forgotten the smell of that place by the time we got here?”
“I’m sure after our eighteen-month stay on the surface, it won’t be so bad when we get back on board,” replied Sarah.
“I don’t know Sarah. I just don’t think that smell will die by then! Kind of reminds me when I’d go into a sub after a year-long tour,” said Bob.
“Well, I guess you’d better start psyching yourself up for it, because we’ll be spending the last month here safing the Hab, which only leaves us about a month to finish up the geology and science experiments; then we’re gone,” said Sarah.
“Actually I’m looking forward to the safing tasks. Partly for a change of pace, but also it makes the fact that we’ll be going home soon seem a little more real,” said Rajah. The “safing” would include placing the habitat in a dormant mode for reuse by future crews, the stowing of any nonessential hardware, performing general housekeeping duties, and placing remaining systems in an automated operations mode for Earth-based monitoring and control.
“Copy that Sarah. Less chitchat and more drilling. Got it. Moving to drill site forty-two.”
Sarah laughed. “Exactly. Don’t drag your feet, otherwise your dinner will be cold by the time you get back.”
Heck, I would be grateful for anything other than the lukewarm, rehydrated ‘soup’ we get on these rover excursions!
***
“EVA1 to Rover. We’re set up at drill site forty-two.”
“Copy that Bob.”
Suddenly an auditory alarm filled the comm loop.
“What’s going on out there?”
“Uh, well, the CDR indicates we hit water…” said Bob.
“Are you sure Bob? We’ve barely broken the surface,” said Rajah.
Dr. Smith detached a shovel from the side of the CDR and with a booted foot sank the blade into the soft soil. As an unmistakably damp wedge of soil was removed, the bottom of the hole began to fill with a clear liquid.
“Well I’ll be…” said Rajah.
“Rajah, get a small sample canister off of the CDR and get some of that,” said Bob.
“Already ahead of you. Got it. Sarah we’ll be back in a few moments with something special for you to look at.”
“Copy that Rajah. Why don’t you guys call it a day and come on in once you put the sample in the external locker,” said Sarah.
***
As her suited crewmates connected their suits to the external hatch and began the process of ingressing the rover, Sarah drew a few samples of the liquid via manipulators in the sample locker. All of the field-testing of the samples was performed in the environmentally isolated locker to prevent any unintentional contamination.
“Find anything?” asked Bob as he pulled himself out of the rear-entry space suit.
“Hold on…about to get the analyzer results,” said Sarah, “Hmm. Looks like the organic content is even higher than the last drill site. Surprisingly high, actually.”
“Details?” asked Rajah.
“Patience please. Ok…the readings are off the charts on both the biological and non-biological organics. Hold on, I’m going to prepare a slide and stick it under the microscope,” she said.
“Do you think…?” asked Bob.
“I don’t know, but I’m going to look.”
The seconds ticked away like hours as the two men stood over her shoulder in the cramped space of the rover as she prepared the slide.
“Let’s see what we have here,” Sarah said as she manipulated the slide under the microscope’s camera and the image moved across the display.
She inhaled sharply, “Oh my…we’ve got wigglers!”
“What do you mean?” asked Rajah.
“Seriously, we’ve got wigglers. They look just like nematodes back on Earth. There’s a whole zoo in there!” exclaimed Sarah.
“Are you sure? Is it possible the sample container was contaminated?” asked Bob.
“Highly unlikely. I prepared them by the advanced sterilization protocols and actually left them under the UV light longer than it states, and verified the cleanliness three times before we left the hab,” answered Sarah.
“Wow! You know what this means don’t you?” asked Rajah, “Bob should we kill the video feed and tell the commander to stop the upload back to Mission Control? We have the ten-minute buffer for just these situations.”
Dr. Smith paused in thought. “Nope. This it too big. Everyone needs to see this.”
There was a flurry of activity as the crew took pictures and created sample reports to upload to Earth. With the transmission lag the social media streaming live video would reach Earth in about twenty minutes, and NASA public relations and scientists would need information to start answering the tsunami of questions from the world.
Sarah paused before hitting the ‘Send’ button on the data package and said, “Everyone, this is big! Our expedition just found the first evidence of life on another planet!”
Terry Hill, deputy manager of the Crew Health and Safety Program within the Human Health and Performance Directorate, as well as an author outside of work. Image courtesy of Terry Hill.