Tags
2016, astronauts, communications, crew morale, engineering, ESEP, ESS Carl Sagan, ESS Queen Elizabeth II, JPL, Mars, Mars Mission 2016, Mars time, NASA, Noctis Standard Time, NST, Pacific Standard Time, PST, science, space, space travel, spacecraft, Time, Time Zones
- Mars Date/Time: Year 1, Sur One, Friday, Sol 27 (1.1.27) 2:21 PM NST
- Earth Date/Time: Saturday, 30 January 2016 2:00 PM PST
The Earth Space Exploration Program (ESEP) is now officially on Noctis Standard Time (NST). This is the time zone on Mars that the primary landing sites for Mars Mission 2016, near the Noctis Labyrinthus feature.
The Noctis Labyrinthus Time Zone on Mars
It also means we are now on the Mars calendar and today is Friday, Sol 27, Sur One. There are sixty days in this month. The orbital transfer to Mars will begin later this month and the crew will arrive in Mars orbit in the third month, or Sur Three.
The crew will not start shift rotation until Sunday, Sol 29, after the ship and crew have been commissioned. Most of the crew will either the 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM shift or the 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Two astronauts will be on duty on the Command Deck from 4:00 PM to 12:00 midnight, and another two from 12:00 midnight to 8:00 AM.
Sur One
Each crew member will have three days of light duty in every ten days. Light duty may mean shorter hours of scheduled work, a lighter workload, or assignment to a special duty. Whenever possible, the team members work together to plan a group schedule so that tasks can be planned based on the number of team members on duty at any given time.
Tomorrow crew members will be preparing for Sunday’s (Earth’s Monday) commissioning ceremonies both ships and the crew will be commissioned.
Noctis on Mars 