Operations Report 9-APR-2019
SOL: n/a
Name of person filing report: Shannon Rupert
Non-nominal systems: Power system
Notes on non-nominal systems: On the evening of April 7th, there was a 3 second complete power loss. This is very unusual, but as I had not been able to get the charging indicator light to go on, I assumed the generator had failed and decided to just deal with it in the
morning. In the morning, I found the generator still running. I turned it off and the entire power system went offline. I checked and the generator, charge controllers and batteries. All were nominal. I could not restart the power system. The control center was non responsive. I went to do some research on what could be causing this, and after about an hour, the power system suddenly went on. The inverter light was solid and indicating. The power system ran fine for the rest of the day and I turned the generator on at about 9 pm and the charging light was solid and indicating, also nominal. No idea what happened. This power system had a mind of its own.
I have also confirmed that the solar power is not making it into the power system. The SOC slowly goes down throughout the day, while the charge controllers read PO5, meaning they are overcharged. So that power is not getting to the batteries. Conclusion: We are collecting power each day for nothing. We are running on battery and generator power only. I still haven’t figured out what is wrong.
Generator (hours run): Off at 7 am, on from 10:00 am to 11:00 for testing.
Generator alternator was replaced, oil and oil filter changed, air filter changed. I did not do the radiator as I don’t really know how to do that. I will change the fuel filter at a later date as the winds got very high so I stopped working on the generator. It is running beautifully tonight.
Solar— SOC 82 % at 8 pm.
Diesel Reading – 48 %
Propane Reading – 50 %
Ethanol Free Gasoline – 0 gallons.
Water (auxillary tank) – 0 gallons
Water (static tank) – 75 gallons
Auxillary to Static tank transfer– no
Gallons transferred: No
Water in GreenHab – unknown gallons. Used 15 gallons today to water.
Water (loft) – Static to Loft Pump used – no
Water Meter: not read
Toilet tank emptied: no
Deimos rover used: Still non-operational
Hours:
Beginning charge:
Ending charge:
Currently charging:
Sojourner rover used: ASSIGNED TO DIRECTOR, no
Hours: 50.7
Beginning charge: 100
Ending charge: 100
Currently charging: yes
Spirit rover used: Yes, to park it in the correct place
Hours: 86.5
Beginning charge: 100
Ending charge: 100
Currently charging: yes
Opportunity rover used: No
Hours: 56.4
Beginning charge: 100
Ending charge: 100
Currently charging: yes
Curiosity rover used: Yes, to park it in the correct place
Hours: 88.8
Beginning charge: 100
Ending charge: 100
Currently charging: yes
Notes on rovers: A reminder to all that rovers are to be used for sim purposes only. Crews are not allowed to drive them when out of sim.
Sojourner’s brake is loose but still operational.
ATV’s Used: (Honda, 300, 350.1, 350.2, 350.3)
Reason for use: None were used.
Oil Added? No
ATV Fuel Used: 0 Gals.
# Hours the ATVs were Used today:0
Notes on ATVs: nothing to report
HabCar used and why, where? No, too windy to get water. Shovel and jumper cables were replaced as required by Health and Safety checklist.
CrewCar used and why, where? Off-site
General notes and comments: Extreme winds today. I noticed some of the tunnel tarps were not tied down properly yesterday but I did not get to them before the wind. They will need to be repaired once the winds die. There is also a lot of MOOP along the tunnel. It will be picked up once the wind dies.
Summary of internet: Nothing to report
Summary of suits and radios: Nothing to report
Summary of Hab operations: Doors were blown open today. The front airlock door jumped the 4×4 barrier and broke the railing on the east side of the front porch. It could not be closed in the high winds and so is open tonight with the inner airlock door locked.
Summary of GreenHab operations: So I’m not happy. The GreenHab has a plethora of old crew experiments that were not cleaned up or removed but simply left in place. Part of this was because when they were checked out, crews weren’t told to remove them, but most of it was because the crews didn’t take the GreenHab or the position of GreenHab Officer seriously. The Handbook and briefing make it very clear that crews are to take all their materials with them when they leave, unless they ask Mission Support and are given permission to leave them. I should not have to guess where a crew collected regolith so I
can return it to the proper area. This is to be done by the crews before they leave. This will be the second time this season that I have had to go into the GreenHab and work for days to get it back into sim shape. On a real mission to Mars, what is in that GreenHab will be
the most precious of resources. We aren’t doing well in this department.
All unharvested crops past their harvest time were removed. All experimental pots were emptied. Some new seeds were planted (lettuce and oregano). All plants were sprayed for bugs. More sticky paper is needed. GreenHab will still require another day of cleaning.
Summary of ScienceDome operations: Still need to know who left the biohazard containers and what is in them. (see Health and Safety)
Summary of RAM operations: Used one of the new alternators, an oil filter and an air filter for the generator. Only one gallon of T4 oil remaining. Less than one gallon of coolant remaining.
Summary of any observatory issues: Nothing to report
Summary of health and safety issues: Does anyone know who left the regulated medical waste at MDRS? There are two small yellow biohazard containers out by the generator that should have been removed by the crew who generated them. As this is regulated waste, I need to know what is in it and how to dispose of it. Who left it? Please follow up with this, everyone. Thank you.
I would also like reassurances from the crew who had the experiment in the GreenHab with radishes that had people names as the labels that there was no urine or fecal matter or any other human waste (or other animal waste) in the soil. Those pots were very rotten and smelled horrible. Please follow up on this everyone and let me know. Thank you.
Questions, concerns and requests to Mission Support:
Are the two pumps on the ground working or not working?
Why are there two batteries in the EVA room and what are they for?
See Health and Safety Summary.