Journalist Report – January 13th

Title: Country Roads, take me home…

Author: Oscar Ivan Ojeda Ramirez

Extract from Commander’s log, Sol 1

We’re finally here. After months of preparation, planning, after rising expectations, we’ve made it. Those alien-like red hills, and geometric shapes of cylinders, hemispheres, and cubes, worthy of a Dali painting, are finally a real place, a place to call home. A whole mission is now ahead of us, a mission full of challenges and rewards, of personal and professional growth, and at the end of it, we expect to come back home to share what we learned, so that others may follow the path.

We venture into the unknown not just to discover it, "it", but most importantly to discover ourselves. Ourselves as individuals, as a crew, as a community, and in our particular case, as a nation, is it the first time a 100% Colombian crew takes the station.

Any doubts I might have had to be on this mission were cleared as soon as we made the turn and the habitat appeared on sight. At that moment it was clear to me that the efforts and sacrifices we are taking are going to be worth it.

And they won’t be few. Amongst others, we have for the better or the worst, the eyes of many people upon us, and we’ll have to perform to the best of our abilities, just to match what they expect from us. And living in a desert, far away from everyone, comes with a toll. But each one of us must not forget why we volunteered to be here, and that being here is the most important thing for our lives right now. We’ve had a history behind with most of the crewmembers and I trust each one of them as a perfect fit for their role within the crew.

Despite its beauty, Mars is definitely not the most welcoming place, it’s cold, it’s dry, and when it’s not dry, it’s muddy. Mars wants for many secrets to stay unveiled, and sometimes will put up a fight on that.

With 14 sols worth of challenges, lessons, laughter, probably tears, but for sure growth, on both a personal and professional point of view, we have to be up for it.

We are now on it together, and as a famous Aristotle quote goes, "the whole is greater than the sum of the parts". It was once a dream, now it is our reality, and soon it will be a memory. It better be a wonderful memory.

Per Aspera Ad Astra.

Greenhab Report – January 13th

Crew 203 Greenhab Report 13-Jan-2019

Greenhab Officer: Hermes Bolivar

Environmental Control:

Heating

Cooling w/ ambient air (7 hrs)

40% Shade Cloth on

80% Shade Cloth on

Average Temperatures:

Low: 15.5°C

High: 36.3°C

Hours of Supplemental Light: 5

Daily Water Usage of Crops: 9 gallons

Water in Blue Tank (gallons): 90.6%, 272 Gallons.

Times of Watering for Crops:

15:02

17:44

20:00

Changes to crops:

* there is evidence of burning of plants due to very high temperature.

* some crops will be discarded for the bad physiology conditions.

Narrative:

It’s necessary to change the temperature of Greenhab and keep among 15 to 25°C and wait for a better condition of the crops during the next days. The period of supplementary light was modified from 18:00 to 23:00. Because it’s turned on during the day. The blue tank was filling with water so the final volume of the tanks is the 272 gallons.

Watered Crew 201 experiments

Harvest:

*3g of Carrot.

*27g of Basil

Support/Supplies Needed: n/a

Operations Report – January 13th

Crew 203 Operations Report 13-JAN-2019

SOL: 1

Name of person filing report: Freddy Castaneda

Non-nominal systems: Suit #9

Notes on non-nominal systems: Still pending for diagnostic.

Generator (hours run): 17hr 15min; Turned on last night (12Jan2019) at 17:29; Turned off this morning (13Jan2019) at 09:25; Turned on tonight (13Jan2019) at 17:40

Solar SOC – Turned on (12Jan2019) 83%; Turned off (13Jan2019) 100%; Turned on (13Jan2019) 85%

Diesel Reading – 55%

Propane Reading – 30%

Ethanol Free Gasoline – Not in use

Water (auxiliary tank) – Not in use

Water (static tank) – About 95%; 505 gallons

Auxiliary to Static tank transfer – No

Gallons transferred: Not applicable

Water in GreenHab – About 90%; 270 gallons

Water (loft) – At level marker 11

Static to Loft Pump used – Yes; At 16:50 to refill tank

Water Meter: 01400327

Toilet tank emptied: Yes, it was horrible 😉

Deimos rover used: No, still not functional

Hours: Not applicable

Beginning charge: Not applicable

Ending charge: Not applicable

Currently charging: Not applicable

Sojourner rover used: ASSIGNED TO DIRECTOR

Hours: Not applicable

Beginning charge: Not applicable

Ending charge: Not applicable

Currently charging: Not applicable

Spirit rover used: Yes, used for training Crew 203

Hours: 67.5

Beginning charge: 100%

Ending charge: 72%

Currently charging: Yes

Opportunity rover used: Yes, brakes are still not working correctly but it was used for training Crew 203

Hours: 45.9

Beginning charge: 100%

Ending charge: 80%

Currently charging: Yes

Curiosity rover used: Yes, used for training Crew 203

Hours: 69.3

Beginning charge: 100%

Ending charge: 88%

Currently charging: Yes

Notes on rovers: Brakes on Opportunity still not working properly

ATV’s Used: None (Honda, 300, 350.1, 350.2, 350.3)

Reason for use: None

Oil Added? No

ATV Fuel Used: None

# Hours the ATVs were Used today: None

Notes on ATVs: Nothing to report

HabCar used and why, where? Used two times to get water in town

CrewCar used and why, where? Yes, used to get Crew 202 to town

General notes and comments: Nothing to report

Summary of internet: Nothing to report

Summary of suits and radios: Suit #9 still not working; Suit #7 has not been fixed yet; I´m aware of the situation to make a diagnosis.

Summary of Hab operations: Some crew members have detected a low smell of propane when they go upstairs, we made an inspection with the propane gas detector and nothing was detected.

Summary of GreenHab operations: Nothing to report

Summary of ScienceDome operations: Nothing to report

Summary of RAMM operations: Nothing to report

Summary of any observatory issues: Nothing to report

Summary of health and safety issues: Nothing to report

Questions, concerns and requests to Mission Support: Nothing to report

Operations Report – January 13th

Crew 203 Operations Report 13-JAN-2019

SOL: 1

Name of person filing report: Freddy Castaneda

Non-nominal systems: Suit #9

Notes on non-nominal systems: Still pending for diagnostic.

Generator (hours run): 16hr 06min; Turned on last night (12Jan2019) at 17:29; Turned off this morning (13Jan2019) at 09:35; Turned on tonight (13Jan2019) at 17:40

Solar SOC – Turned on (12Jan2019) 83%; Turned off (13Jan2019) 100%; Turned on (13Jan2019) 85%

Diesel Reading – 55%

Propane Reading – 30%

Ethanol Free Gasoline – Not in use

Water (auxiliary tank) – Not in use

Water (static tank) – About 95%; 505 gallons

Auxiliary to Static tank transfer – No

Gallons transferred: Not applicable

Water in GreenHab – About 90%; 270 gallons

Water (loft) – At level marker 11

Static to Loft Pump used – Yes; At 16:50 to refill tank

Water Meter: 01400327

Toilet tank emptied: Yes, it was horrible 🙁

Deimos rover used: No, still not functional

Hours: Not applicable

Beginning charge: Not applicable

Ending charge: Not applicable

Currently charging: Not applicable

Sojourner rover used: ASSIGNED TO DIRECTOR

Hours: Not applicable

Beginning charge: Not applicable

Ending charge: Not applicable

Currently charging: Not applicable

Spirit rover used: Yes, used for training Crew 203

Hours: 67.5

Beginning charge: 100%

Ending charge: 72%

Currently charging: Yes

Opportunity rover used: Yes, brakes are still not working correctly but it was used for training Crew 203

Hours: 45.9

Beginning charge: 100%

Ending charge: 80%

Currently charging: Yes

Curiosity rover used: Yes, used for training Crew 203

Hours: 69.3

Beginning charge: 100%

Ending charge: 88%

Currently charging: Yes

Notes on rovers: Brakes on Opportunity still not working properly

ATV’s Used: None (Honda, 300, 350.1, 350.2, 350.3)

Reason for use: None

Oil Added? No

ATV Fuel Used: None

# Hours the ATVs were Used today: None

Notes on ATVs: Nothing to report

HabCar used and why, where? Used to get water in town

CrewCar used and why, where? Yes, used to get Crew 202 to town

General notes and comments: Nothing to report

Summary of internet: Nothing to report

Summary of suits and radios: Suit #9 still not working; Suit #7 has not been fixed yet; I´m aware of the situation to make a diagnosis.

Summary of Hab operations: Some crew members have detected a low smell of propane when they go upstairs.

Summary of GreenHab operations: Nothing to report

Summary of ScienceDome operations: Nothing to report

Summary of RAM operations: Nothing to report

Summary of any observatory issues: Nothing to report

Summary of health and safety issues: Nothing to report

Questions, concerns and requests to Mission Support: Nothing to report

Sol Summary – January 13th

Crew 203 Sol Summary Report 13-Jan-2019

Sol: 1

Summary Title: Country Roads, take me home…

Author’s name: Oscar Ojeda

Mission Status: Nominal, Starting simulation tonight.

Sol Activity Summary: We woke up at 7, along with the departing Purdue crew (Boiler up guys…!). We had our pictures taken, did a small change of command "ceremony", and then departed to a dinosaur walk, guided by director Shannon. We waved goodbye as the crew departed, and then started organizing groceries and rooms.

Today we finished the water runs, and should be ready for the entire length of the mission. We started our training with Atila, being it the first time it’s done in Spanish. We also were able to share breakfast and lunch, which I was able to cook (I love cooking on Mars). Finally, our remote astronomer did an amazing observation of M31, which we will share.

Look Ahead Plan: Tomorrow crew 203 will send the Mission Plan, along with the initial HSO report, and biographies with official pictures. We will start our EVA plans with the first runs and to get to know better our routines within the station, planning to start later on our research projects.

Anomalies in work: None

Weather: Sunny and warm, low to no wind, disperse clouds.

Crew Physical Status: In good health

EVA: none

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Operations Report, Greenhab Report, Astronomy Report, Journalist Report, EVA Request.

Support Requested: None

[end]

Journalist Report – Jan 12th

MDRS Crew 202, Journalist Report

Sol 14 – 01/12/2018

Name the space movie (or show) given the following quote. Answer at the end of the Report:

Mankind was born on Earth … it was never meant to die here.

This mission began with six individuals who vaguely knew each other, tied together by a common alma mater. Each crew member from a different walk of life, a wide variety of backgrounds, and unique research goals. After two weeks of being locked in a corn silo with little to no interaction with the outside world, I can honestly say I love these people so Dodge Ram much!

Paraphrased from our Director, Martian time moves different than Earth time, and this statement could not be more true. Our time here feels much longer than the mere 14 days, and our outside lives still seem lightyears away. Today, it became a little more real that we would be returning home tomorrow as we drove into town, on a paved road, ordered food in a restaurant, and sat down for a meal someone outside of the crew had prepared for us. Our eyes bigger than our stomachs, we gorged on burgers, shakes, and fries and laughed the night away. Giggling at inside jokes you had to be there for. Enjoying each other’s company.

Reflecting on my time at MDRS, I could not have predicted all the wonderful things I would take away from this experience. As Crew Journalist, I could not be more fortunate to have the role of listening to everyone’s incredible story and translating it into written words, videos, or sketches.

I always believed there was a place in space for all backgrounds – the vast and creative arts, all types of engineering, the full spectrum of sciences – but hearing our Chemistry major describe discovering her place in space, how she is finding ,through this trip, that there are roles for people outside of just aerospace majors and how she is just as valuable as anyone else in the crew was incredibly inspiring and is a message I will carry with me through my own career in the space industry.

You have a microbiome and plants have a microbiome and environments have microbiomes and all these microbiomes interact and affect each other. Sometimes those effects are nice, and sometimes they carry pathogens. This is incredibly important to know for Mars!

Space exploration is more than just the amazing data we collect about the planet, it will also push our minds and bodies to new extremes. This stress could have a long-term impact on decision making, which could be the difference between life and death in deep space exploration. I was always told stress is bad for you, but now I know a little more about the science behind why it is bad for you!

Look up at the Night Sky. What do you see? With the naked eye, we see a portrait of stories from long ago, a shimmering display of lights in different depths, a beautiful Milky Way splitting the sky in two. It is at the MDRS observatory where we captured close up images of these blinking lights and discovered these stars were not stars at all, but gigantic galaxies, colorful nebulas, and complex celestial bodies. Billions and trillions of celestial wonders that will appear simply as stars to astronaut eyes from both Earth and Mars.

ROCKS. Wow. Have you taken time today to appreciate the rocks surrounding you? The boulders you step on every day and their magnificence and importance to science? While my head will always be in the stars, after this mission I will take more time to appreciate the amazing and unassuming wonders at my feet.

Most of all, the people. This last paragraph is just for Crew 202. Brett. Yust Yoking. 82 years to 3000. 5 minute planks. Atila this is Hab. You’re Welcome! Nutella. Engineering. TP, peeps, and naps. The most rewarding part of this adventure was getting to know you wonderful people. As our Crew Engineer said, “Well I guess we all just have to live in the same place now”. I will miss each and every one of you as we begin to part ways, and I will forever be laughing at things no one else will understand. You have all given me an incredible appreciation for your backgrounds, your science, and simply you as a human being. Don’t be strangers. Keep in touch. My door is always open. I wish you all the best when you return to your adventures on Earth! Yeehaw!

Movie (or Show) Answer: Interstellar

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