Month: November 2019

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Crew 215 Operations Report 16Nov2019

[title Operations Report – November 16th]

[category operations-report]

Crew 215 Operations Report 16-Nov-2019
SOL: 6
Name of person filing report: Shane Usher
Non-nominal systems: N/A
Notes on non-nominal systems: N/A
Generator: run
Hours run: 12 h 0 min
From what time last night: 1915
To what time this morning: 0715
List any additional daytime hours when the generator was run: N/A
Solar— SOC % (Before generator is run at night): 74%
Diesel Reading – 48%
Station Propane Reading – 70%
Ethanol Free Gasoline: N/A
Water (loft tank) (gal): 47
Water Meter (units): 1458357
Water (static tank) (gal): 377
Static to Loft Pump used – yes
Water in Green Hab (gal): 253.25
Water in Science Dome (gal): 0
Toilet tank emptied: yes
Deimos rover used: not at Hab
Hours: –
Beginning charge: –
Ending charge: –
Currently charging: –
Sojourner rover used: Assigned to Director
Hours: –
Beginning charge: –
Ending charge: –
Currently charging: –
Spirit rover used: yes
Hours: 111.2
Beginning charge: (Before EVA): 100%
Ending charge: (On return from EVA, before recharging): 74%
Currently charging: yes
Opportunity rover used: yes
Hours: 66.5
Beginning charge: 100%
Ending charge: 76%
Currently charging: yes
Curiosity rover used: no
Hours: 117.1
Beginning charge: (Before EVA) : 100%
Ending charge: (On return from EVA, before charging): 100%
Currently charging: yes
Notes on rovers:
ATV’s Used: (Honda, 300, 350.1, 350.2, 350.3): no
Reason for use: N/A
Oil Added? no
ATV Fuel Used (gal): 0
# Hours the ATVs were used today: 0
Notes on ATVs: Assigned to the director
HabCar used and why, where? With Director
CrewCar used and why, where? At Grand Junction awaiting Crew 216
General Notes and Comments: N/A
Summary of internet: Functional
Summary of suits and radios: Functional
Summary of Hab operations: Slight leak around unsealed kitchen sinks, drains are
performing correctly.
Summary of GreenHab operations: Atmospheric equalization to the green hab carried out
during the afternoon, plants were watered (8L,2.25 gal). Door closed at 5pm.
Summary of Science Dome operations: Washed and crushed gypsum samples, Re-bagged
micrometeorites.
Summary of RAM operations: Nominal
Summary of any observatory issues: Nominal
Summary of health and safety issues: Crew did a yoga/stretching session
Questions, concerns and requests to Mission Support: N/A

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Crew 215 EVA Report 16Nov2019

[title EVA Report – November 16th]

[category eva-report]

Crew 215 EVA Report 16-Nov-2019
EVA # 08
Author: Jennifer Lane
Purpose of EVA: Continue with the sweeping of Micrometeorite Site 5 (MM5) grid squares
Start time: 1305
End time: 1515
Narrative: The crew made their way to the micrometeorite sampling site and managed to sweep 36 squares, which finished the remainder of our 10×10 grid. They were also able to collect aggregate to experiment with creating our Martian concrete. This will take place next week during the final week of the rotation.
Destination: MM5 site south along Cow Dung Road
Coordinates (use UTM NAD27 CONUS): 518462E 4248949N
Participants: Guy Murphy, Shane Usher and Larissa Wilson
Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map: Cow Dung Road
Mode of travel: Opportunity and Spirit Rover

Posted on

Crew 215 Science Report 16Nov2019

[title Science Report – November 16th]

[category science-report]

Science Report 16 November 2019
SOL: 6
Crew 215 – Expedition Boomerang Crew
Submitted by Science Officer Andrew Wheeler
Science Dome Operations: The remaining micrometeorite samples collected from yesterday
were processed and packaged in the morning. In addition, gypsum was ground for cement
experimentation with aggregate samples (fine sand, coarse sand and pebbly sand) the
only outstanding components. In the afternoon, more micrometeorite samples were
collected and transferred to the science dome.
Green Hab: Green Hab operations have continued with a number of herb and vegetable
species now sprouting. See Green Hab report.
RAM Operations: N/A
EVA: The sixth EVA for science saw us returning to the MM5 (518462E 4248949N) site
where the remaining micrometeorite samples were collected. 100% of the grid has now
been sampled and the grid retrieved. See EVA Report.
EVA Suit Maintenance: Nominal. See Operations Report.
Psycho-social Stressors Monitoring: Data collection continues through the hexoskin(TM)
monitoring vests. The simulated emergency retrieval of the engineer has provided a
great deal of data for formulating procedures to assist those in remote and isolated locations.
Additional activities: N/A.

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Crew 215 Sol Summary 16Nov2019

[title Sol Summary – November 16th]

[category sol-summary]

Crew 215 Sol Summary Report 16-NOV-2019
Sol: 6
Summary Title: Data Consolidation
Author’s name: Andrew Wheeler
Mission Status: Active
Sol Activity Summary: The previous evening’s emergency drill has provided valuable
insights for the development of procedures applicable to operations in remote and
isolated locations. It was very satisfying to know we could carry out the tasks needed
to successfully complete the recovery. The morning allowed time to respond to questions
sent in from Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. It was a challenge. The Green
Hab continues to thrive with new herb and vegetable shoots appearing daily. After
lunch, Shane, Larissa and Guy returned to the micrometeorite sample grid in the stream
wash at MM5 (518462E 4248949N) where the remaining 36 samples were collected. We have
now sampled 100% of the grid and it has been retrieved. Dinner was a reheated rendition
of a Thai green curry from the previous evening and very welcome.
Look Ahead Plan: Tomorrow sees a day off for all crew with personal and hab chores to
be done. From Monday, Eva activities will wind back as data consolidation intensifies as
we move closer to rotation end.
Anomalies in work: N/A.
Weather: Marginally below freezing overnight, no wind, clear skies.
Crew Physical Status: Healthy
EVA: Micrometeorite sampling EVA. See EVA report
Reports to be file: Sol Summary Report, Operations Report, Science Report, GreenHab
Report, EVA Report, Journalist Report, Daily Photos.
Support Requested: N/A

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GreenHab Report – Nov 15th

Crew 215 GreenHab Report 15-11-2019

GreenHab Officer: Guy Murphy

Environmental control: Door left open for ventilation 12 midday then reclosed 3pm as the day was overcast.

Average temperatures: –

Hours of supplemental light: Automatic system

Daily water usage for crops: 16 litres (2 full blue watering cans).

Daily water usage for research and/or other purposes:

Water in Blue Tank –

Time(s) of watering for crops: 10am, 4:00pm.

Changes to crops: Acorn pumpkin, snow pea seed planted.

SEASONAL PLANTING HISTORY

Established plants introduced 03/11/2019

[3x] strawberry plants (Everbearing), in medium metal planter

[1x] spicy orange thyme (thymus fragantissimus), small terra cotta pot

[1x] lemon balm scented geranium (pelargonium x Melissinum), small terra cotta pot

[1x] Mint Mentha – Berries & Cream, small terra cotta pot

[1x] Pineapple Mint – mentha suaveolens variegated, small terra cotta pot

[1x] Ice plant – Delospermo ‘jewel of the desert garnet’, small terra cotta pot

[1x] Sempervium textorum assorted Hen & Chicks, small terra cotta pot

[1x] Rosemary ‘Barbecue’ (Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Barbecue’), large plastic pot

[1x] Rosemary ‘Spice Island’ Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Spice Island’, large plastic pot

[1x] mint, grapefruit, large plastic pot

[2x] small Aloe Vera, in medium metal planter, frost damaged (removed 1311219)

Seeds Planted 04/11/2019 (Large metal planting tub)

Greek Oregano – Origanum heracleoticum

Chives – Allium schoenoprasum

Sweet Marjoram – Origanum majorana

Lemon Balm – Melissa officialnis

Sage – Savia Officinalis

Thai Basil – Siam Queen

German/Winter Thyme – Thymus vulgaris

Seeds Planted 10/11/2019 (Large metal planting tub)

Corinader – Coriandrum Sativum

Seeds Planted in12/11/2019 (2 smaller planting tubs)

Carrots ‘Purple Sun F1’

Radish ‘icicle’

Seeds Planted 13/11/2019

Perpetual Spinach, Rocket, Spinach ‘Lakeside F1’in medium metal planter.

Tomato (Chocolate Cherry) and Tomato Pole Roma in small pots for transplantation.

Seeds Planted 14/11/2019

Tomato (Chocolate Cherry) and Tomato Pole Roma in small pots for transplantation.

Onion (Evergreen White Bunching)

Cucumbers (Patio Snackers F1) in hanging pot

Pepper (Mini Bell Color Mix) in small pots for transplantation.

Seeds Planted 15/11/2019

Acorn Pumpkin in a small pot for future transplantation. Seed taken from a pumpkin brought to the Hab at start of rotation as a vegetable.

Snow Peas in 2 hanging pots.

Other seeds stored in the Greenhab are identified as –

Rocket ‘Arugula Rocket Salad ‘Rocky’ (Diplotaxis tenuifolia), 1/2 packet

Spinach ‘Lakeside F1’, 1/2 packet

Carrots ‘Purple Sun F1’ – 1/2 packet

Radish ‘icicle’ – 1/2 packet

Snow Pea (Oregon Giant)

Cucumbers (Patio Snackers F1), 1/2 packet

Onion (Evergreen White Bunching), 1/2 packet

Pepper (Mini Bell Color Mix), 1/2 packet

Perpetual Spinach (Green Leaf Chard), 1/2 packet

Partly used packed of seed have been stored in the provided tin to protect from vermin. This will also also repropogation later in the season to stagger harvest times and allow resowing if crops are lost.

25 white Narcissus bulbs (Paperwhites ‘Ziva’)

Harvest: None

Support/supplies needed: N/A

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Journalist Report Nov 15th

Fri 15 Nov Sol 5

by Guy Murphy

This morning Andrew and Jennifer ventured out on an EVA to continue sampling at the micro-meteorite site I visited yesterday. Unusually, they were buzzed by an unknown drone. I stayed at the Hab for the morning catching up the admin of life, planting further seeds in the Greenhab early afternoon. Late in the day, we undertook a simulated emergency rescue, which I will describe in more detail tomorrow.

The MDRS is located at an elevation of approximately 1300 metres in a semi-arid climatic zone. It is in part of the Colorado plateau that is a cold desert ecology rather than a hot desert. Not all deserts are hot, though it is much warmer here in summer. It is now near the end of autumn (or fall). While there is a sprinking of brown, dead vegetation in a few localities, the area around the campus is completely devoid of green. Outside, there are no natural sounds at all. No birds, only an occasional insect to be found after a long search.

The weird mounded landscape is formed of pale, powdery swellinbg clays known as bentonite at its lower reaches rather than sand. Start walking up the an incline, and the seemingly firm crust gives way, and your foot will fall into a large moving and sliding depression filling with fine powder. It seldom rains here, but when it does the landscape transforms to slushy clay than can barely be driven upon, let alone walked across for any distance. Dry or wet, it it hard not to carry it into the Hab airlocks on your feet or on your clothes, where it then trails into the lower interior level and starts to gradually coat flat surfaces of the upper level as it gets churned up as dust.

The problems with dust management Crew 215 are encountering mirror those early explorers will face on Mars. Martian dust is extremely fine. It has been generated by billions of years of aeolian activity, having being blown around and abraded in a dry environment. It is likely to stick to the external surfaces of space suits and follow them inside through airlocks. It may be activated by static electricty. Andrew and Jennifer did their best to shake off all dust this morning, but a small amount always comes in.

Posted on

Operations Report – Nov 15th

Crew 215 Operations Report 15-Nov-2019

SOL: 5

Name of person filing report: Shane Usher

Non-nominal systems:

Notes on non-nominal systems:

Generator: run

Hours run: 12 h 42 min

From what time last night: 1830

To what time this morning: 0712

List any additional daytime hours when the generator was run: N/A

Solar— SOC % (Before generator is run at night): 68%

Diesel Reading – 49%

Station Propane Reading – 70%

Ethanol Free Gasoline: N/A

Water (loft tank) (gal): 47

Water Meter (units): 1458114

Water (static tank) (gal): 392

Static to Loft Pump used – yes

Water in Green Hab (gal): 355.5

Water in Science Dome (gal): 0

Toilet tank emptied: yes

Deimos rover used: not at Hab

Hours: –

Beginning charge: –

Ending charge: –

Currently charging: –

Sojourner rover used: Assigned to Director

Hours: –

Beginning charge: –

Ending charge: –

Currently charging: –

Spirit rover used: yes

Hours: 111.0

Beginning charge: (Before EVA): 100%

Ending charge: (On return from EVA, before recharging): 67%

Currently charging: yes

Opportunity rover used: no

Hours: 66.2

Beginning charge: 100%

Ending charge: 100%

Currently charging: yes

Curiosity rover used: yes

Hours: 117.1

Beginning charge: (Before EVA) : 100%

Ending charge: (On return from EVA, before charging): 80%

Currently charging: yes

Notes on rovers:

ATV’s Used: (Honda, 300, 350.1, 350.2, 350.3): no

Reason for use: N/A

Oil Added? no

ATV Fuel Used (gal): 0

# Hours the ATVs were used today: 0

Notes on ATVs: Assigned to the director

HabCar used and why, where? With Director

CrewCar used and why, where? At Grand Junction awaiting Crew 216

General notes and comments: This report template is now produced through an Excel spreasheet template developed by Crew Engineer, Shane Usher.

Summary of internet: Functional

Summary of suits and radios: Functional

Summary of Hab operations: Kitchen benchtop installed. Sink plumbed by Shane Usher and Andrew Wheeler.

Summary of GreenHab operations: Atmospheric equalization to the green hab carried out during the afternoon, plants were watered (16L, 4.5 gal). The heater automatically came on at 5pm.

Summary of Science Dome operations: Washed and crushed gypsum samples, Re-bagged micrometeorite samples.

Summary of RAM operations: Nominal

Summary of any observatory issues: Nominal

Summary of health and safety issues: Conducted a simulated medical emergency.

Questions, concerns and requests to Mission Support:

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EVA Report Nov 15th

Crew 215 EVA Report 15-Nov-2019

EVA # 06

Author: Jennifer Lane

Purpose of EVA: Continue with the sweeping of Micrometeorite Site (5) (MM5) grid squares

Start time: 0930

End time: 1150

Narrative: We made our way south on Cow Dung road to the micrometeorite site and

managed to sweep an additional 24 of the 1m squares of the grid. This leaves 36 more

squares to complete.

Destination: MM5 site south along Cow Dung Road

Coordinates (use UTM NAD27 CONUS): 518462E 4248949N

Participants: Andrew Wheeler and Jennifer Lane

Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map: Cow Dung Road

Mode of travel: Curiosity and Spirit Rovers.

EVA # 07

Author: Jennifer Lane

Purpose of EVA: Rescheduling of the simulated electrocution of the engineer while the

daily engineering EVA is being conducted (EVA request #5).

Start time: 4:50

End time: 5:05

Narrative: Whilst conducting his daily engineering EVA, Shane feigned an electric

shock. Guy and Larissa suited up and depressurized to conduct an emergency rescue.

Using a heavy duty carry sheet, they were able to drag and carry Shane back into the

airlock and then coordinate with the remainder of the crew how to lift him over the

final step while pressurizing.

Destination: Directly outside the hab

Coordinates (use UTM NAD27 CONUS): 518230E 4250725N

Participants: Guy Murphy and Larissa Wilson

Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map: N/A

Mode of travel: Foot

Posted on

Science Report Nov 15th

Science Report 15 November 2019

SOL: 5

Crew 215 – Expedition Boomerang Crew

Submitted by Science Officer Andrew Wheeler

Science Dome Operations: More micrometeorite samples were collected in the morning and

processed in the afternoon. Further gypsum samples were ground in preparation for the

cement making experiments to be carried out later in the rotation.

Green Hab: Green Hab operations have continued. See Green Hab report.

RAM Operations: N/A

EVA: The fifth EVA for science saw us returning to the MM5 (518462E 4248949N) site

where 24 micrometeorite samples were collected. 64% of the grid has now been sampled.

See EVA Report.

EVA Suit Maintenance: Nominal. See Operations Report.

Psycho-social Stressors Monitoring: Data collection continues through the hexoskin

monitoring vests. The simulated emergency retrieval of the engineer was carried out

during the engineering EVA and the performance of all participants is being evaluated.

In addition, indicated modifications to the airlock that would make this activity

easier are being evaluated.

Additional activities: N/A.

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