ARR Santiago. All Camera Gear Accounted for, but Could I Survive Without The Rest?

11/25/2012

Not sure how they mow the grass on the side of this building though.

Santiago is a swank, Metropolitan city with lovely hotels and a sandwich that made the trip worthwhile, the Churasco Italiano. But I'm not here to film a food show, I'm here to climb up into the Andes Mountains with a group of NASA Scientists, and my camping gear is AWOL.

I love to play the 'Abandon Ship" game, and consider whether I could survive with the gear I have in my ditch bag. So after a quick inventory of my kit, I feel ready to head into the wilderness. (good thing I have an extra pair of socks.)

The exercise was perhaps theoretical, the airline said they would have my backpack full of gear for 3 weeks in the mountains here in the morning, before we head up the hill.

3 Comments

Todd Trout

11/30/2012 04:17:25 am

Eric: I just saw/heard your voicemail on my office phone. How can I reach you? Do not use my office phone number... I'm never at my desk! I can give you a cell phone number but won't post it here. We have a 10th grade class assembly on Tuesday, December 11th, from 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Any chance that would work for a Skype with you? I know that your internet access is limited. E-mail me, or call my cell. I'll e-mail you as well. Thanks, Todd Trout Lancaster Country Day School

Todd Trout

12/5/2012 10:31:56 am

Questions for Eric Smith from LCDS Sophomores for possible Skype interview on Tuesday, 12/11/12 from 1:30 – 3:00 EST.

Questions on this specific project, or other projects involving Eric Smith

What kind of life might be possible on Titan/Saturn/Mars? Why is NASA (and why are you) so interested in Titan? Is NASA's assumption that there may have been an ecosystem (life) on Mars or Titan before the glaciers melted? How do we know there were glaciers? How do we know that conditions on Mars or Titan resemble conditions in the deglaciated lakes in the Andes?

What specific types of things would you have the rovers look for that would help you draw conclusions about the possibility of life? How can you make a rover determine what is of "interest"? What does your team consider to be something of interest that you would want it to capture? What specific experiments are you conducting that are helping to better understand the conditions on Mars? Will the rover be doing chemical/spectroscopic analysis? What tests do you do for a search for life so far away? What do you expect to find?

What were the major setbacks (if any) in designing the rovers you currently have, and how long did it take to design them? What types of improvements are you looking at? Have you made any progress so far? How do you prevent a Lake Lander rover from floating? What is involved with the programming of a rover (what methods/tools are involved in getting it to "think" for itself)? How do you communicate with it?

Now that ice has been found on Mercury, will more attention be given to exploring Mercury (instead of Mars)?

How do ecosystems change when glaciers melt?

Can you share some details on the design of the robot(s)? How big are the robots being designed to explore Titan? How many robots will explore? What do the robots actually do?

What about this project has surprised you?

Is this research dangerous to you? How much of a problem is radiation to you? How about the high altitude and low pressure? What precautions do you need to take to live in such a high altitude as the Andes? If there are extreme weather conditions do you still proceed?

How does the topography of Earth compare to that of Mars and Titan? Does the topography present different problems/challenges?

What do you do with results when you think you have something relevant or correct, but you're not sure (in this particular project)?

Questions about Eric Smith

What special skills do you bring to the NASA project? Why did they seek you out to be a part of this specific project?

Have you had any major findings in your career? What is your most interesting find?
When you find underwater treasures or relics, who owns those treasures? Who keeps them? Are they sold back to the country they “belong” to?

When did you know you wanted to be an archaeologist? Can you speak a bit about the training you received in undergraduate/graduate school and any other experiences that helped shape your career training?
How fun is your job? How many hours of your day are dedicated to work, and what do you do in your free time? What does your daily schedule like? What kind of daily preparations must you do?

Have you had any major findings in your career? What is your most interesting find? When you find underwater treasures or relics, who owns those treasures? Who keeps them? Are they sold back to the country they “belong” to?

What is the most rewarding part of your work and what was your most thrilling adventure? Have you found any sunken cities?

медтехника link

12/12/2012 11:56:32 pm

Many thanks for such a write-up. I undoubtedly cherished reading it and talk about this it to my friends.

My Name is Eric and My Job is Scientific Exploration.

That means I'm lucky enough to join expeditions to excavate sunken cities, climb volcanoes, find missing bombs, and Sail old research vessels, while searching for the mysteries of the natural world.

And then tell stories about it.

ARR Santiago. All Camera Gear Accounted for, but Could I Survive Without The Rest?

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My Name is Eric and My Job is Scientific Exploration.

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