November 19, 2019 – Page 2 – Mars Desert Research Station

[title Science Report – November 19th]

Science Report 19 November 2019
SOL: 9
Crew 215 – Expedition Boomerang Crew
Submitted by Science Officer Andrew Wheeler
Science Dome Operations: The experimenting with gypsum and sand to create a form of
plaster of paris cement commenced. Various samples of known mass were heated for 5 or
10 minutes and either combined with sand or not and then mixed with 4ml or 8ml of
water. Each slurry was placed into a tray and is being allowed to dry to examine
strength. A byproduct of this experiment is the realization that the finely ground
gypsum is actual plaster of paris and could be used for its intended medical purpose on
Mars.
Green Hab: Green Hab operations have continued with additional soil and potting mix
allowing further crops to be sown. See Green Hab report.
RAM Operations: N/A
EVA: The final EVA for science saw us returning rock specimens used for identification
and training purposes to the collection sites to the west of White Rock Canyon. See EVA
Report.
EVA Suit Maintenance: Nominal. See Operations Report.
Psycho-social Stressors Monitoring: Data collection continues through the hexoskin(TM)
monitoring vests.
Additional activities: Two potential medical uses of material being liberated from the
gypsum experiments, the original medical use of plaster of paris and the liberated
water (being equivalent to distilled water) used to create a saline solution (NaCl),
were evaluated concurrently with the cement creation trials.

[title Sol Summary – November 19th]

[category Sol-Summary ]

Crew 215 Sol Summary Report 19-NOV-2019
Sol: 9
Summary Title: The last EVA
Author’s name: Andrew Wheeler
Mission Status: Active
Sol Activity Summary: Gypsum experimentation got underway with the first samples being heated for either 5 or 10 minutes, either mixed with sand or not, reconstituted with 4ml or 8ml of water and set to dry in trays. During these experiments it became clear that the liberated water (distilled water equivalent) could be used to create a saline solution for medical needs and that the fine grained gypsum was actual plaster of paris and could be used for its original medical purpose. The morning also saw the last EVA as we returned training rock specimens to their original collection locations west of White Rock Canyon along 1101 Road (519500E 4247300N). The afternoon saw further experimentation with the gypsum samples and potting of new seedlings in the Green Hab. The sol was rounded out with Taco Tuesday, and fruit jelly with chocolate pudding for desert.
Look Ahead Plan: More plantings in the Green Hab and a continuation of the gypsum cement investigations.
Anomalies in work: N/A.
Weather: Possible rain overnight and during the day, light winds.
Crew Physical Status: Healthy
EVA: Sample return. See EVA Report.
Reports to be file: Sol Summary Report, Operations Report, Science Report, EVA Report, Green Hab Report, Journalist Report, Daily Photos.
Support Requested: N/A

MDRS Field Season #22 (2022-23)

Oct 1-16— Work Party

(Oct 20-23—TMS Conference in Tempe Arizona)

Oct 24-28—Crew 266-- Spaceward Bound High School

Oct 30—Nov 12—Crew 267—WOMARS

Nov 13—26—Crew 268-- Mars Society All women crew

Nov 27—Dec 10— Crew 269--The Aerospace Corporation Team

Dec 11—17 (one week) —Crew 270 -- NASA Spaceward Bound Utah Cohort 4

Dec 18— 31—Crew 271— Mars Society crew

Jan 1—14, 2023— Crew 272-- Purdue

Jan 15—28— Crew 273— Spanish Language Crew

Jan 29--Feb 11—Crew 274— APUS ARG-1M

Feb 12—Mar 11-- Crew 275— Supaero

Mar 12—18 — No Crew (Spring Break)

Mar 19-25 (one week) — Crew 277— Class

Mar 26—Apr 1 (one week) — Crew 278— Class

Apr 2—15— Crew 279— M.A.R.S. UC Louvain

Apr 16—29—Crew 280— Hypatia

Apr 30—May 13—Crew 261— Transatlantic Mars Society

May 14—27— Crew 281— Project Possum Alumni

June 1—3— University Rover Challenge

June 4-10 (one week)— Crew 282— Martian Biology III

June 11-17 - Summer Closeout Crew

About The MDRS

The Mars Desert Research Station in the Utah desert was established by the Mars Society in 2001 to better educate researchers, students and the general public about how humans can survive on the Red Planet. It is the second Mars analogue habitat after the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station was established in 2000.

Over 200 crews of six-person teams have lived in 1-2 week field visits at MDRS to simulate life on the Martian surface. Researchers and students alike have explored the Mars-like terrain in the area surrounding the station in full “spacesuits”, maintained the station’s systems, grown plants in the GreenHab to support themselves and even recycled their waste water.

Our activities at MDRS are not only about informing the public, but also conducting real research to bring humanity that much closer to the reality of human exploration on the planet Mars.

Annual field seasons at MDRS run approx. October through May. Anybody can apply to be on a crew, and we also need volunteers to help with the project.

Management Team

Mission Support

Day: November 19, 2019

Crew 215 Science Report 19Nov2019

Crew 215 Sol Summary 19Nov2019