Science Report – October 07th

Jin Sia, HSO

Science Report

Lindsay:

Today, Lindsay continued to investigate reddish-brown regolith she
collected from five locations along the slopes of the Jotunheim
structure, an inverted river bed located approximately two kilometers
North of the HAB at 38.41712 N, -110.78466 W (NAD27). The regolith
were collected from the same geographical feature sampled by Maggiori
et al. (2020), who confirmed the presences of microbes from all three
kingdoms of life, including extremophiles that could potentially
survive the harsh elements of the Martian environment, such as
psychrophiles, halophiles, and UV-resistant microorganisms. In the
ScienceDome, Lindsay began to extract DNA using a Soil DNA Isolation
Plus Kit (Product #64000, Norgen Biotek Corp) and will then prepare
the DNA samples into libraries using the Field Sequencing Kit
(SQK-LRK001, Oxford Nanopore Technology). To simulate the lack of
state of the art facilities in the rudimentary Martian science labs,
she used human power to lyse the cells instead of using
micro-centrifuge or vortexes. Her protocol will take much longer than
usual and she will assess how this alternative process will affect the
yield of the DNA.

She will then use the handheld DNA sequencer MinION to basecall and
sequence the libraries and the MinKNOW software to perform
metagenomics analyses on the reads from the MinION. Overall, this
process will allow Lindsay to identify what organisms, if any, are
present in the regolith samples. She aims to validate the findings of
Maggiori et al. (2020), only now conducting the complete experimental
process from regolith sample collection to metagenomics analysis while
undergoing planetary exploration simulation at MDRS, all as a
proof-of-concept that metagenomics studies can be completed in-situ in
this remote environment.

Lindsay continued sequencing the regolith samples today. She observes
that, similiarly to yesterday, all samples had very low DNA yields.

Jin:

No updates from Jin today, as he was occupied with compliance to
planetary protection protocol.

Inga:

I am studying small mixed gender crew interactions. There is no
significant gender difference in task performance and physical
adaptation in isolated, confined, and extreme environments (Harm et
al. 2001; Kanas and Manzey 2008; Mark et al. 2014). Mixed-gender crews
are praised as more efficient, cohesive, and with overall better team
climate than men-only teams. But at the same time gender differences
are recognized as a source of additional tension in a crew (Bishop
2004; Kahn and Leon 2000; Kring and Kaminski 2012; Leon 1991, 2005).
In my dissertation I aim to investigate gender inequality and
differences from a socio-structural point of view in order to help to
send a well-functioning group of women and men to Mars.

The first two chapters of the dissertation use reports from the
previous MDRS crews. In Chapter 1 I use multilevel generalized
regression models to show that women on average participate in six
percentage points less EVAs than men (p<.05) controlling for their
crew role, education, previous analog experience, number of women in
the crew, and commanders’ gender. A paper based on this chapter is
accepted for publication at the Journal of Human Performance in
Extreme Environments.

Chapter 2 utilizes commanders’ reports from 2009-2016 and looks at
communal and agentic aspects of leadership behavior. Sentiment
analysis results showed that female commanders are statistically
significantly (p<.001) more positive in their reports than their male
counterparts. Qualitative analysis results demonstrated that both male
and female commanders are agentic, but male commanders talked more
about maintenance issues, and did it in a more negative tone in
comparison to female commanders. Commanders of both genders were
communal, but male commanders focused on crew cohesion in terms of
team spirit, and women emphasized mutual support. Proportional word
frequencies confirmed that commanders of both genders are agentic, but
women tend to use more general terms and men use more specific terms
in their reports. Female commanders used more communal words than male
commanders. Overall, the results are in line with previous social role
theory research and show that commanders of both genders are agentic
(but with granular differences), and female commanders tend to be more
communal. This paper is currently under peer review.

Currently at MDRS I collect ethnographic (participant observation)
data for the last chapter of my dissertation. In addition to rich
original data, this chapter will provide context to the rest of the
project.

And last but not least, crew 228 is helping me to pilot a future
journal study of emotion and emotion management. A significant body of
empirical psychological research on mixed-gender crews in space analog
environments reaffirm gender stereotypes: women are more
other-oriented and care more about the wellbeing of others, and men
are more individualistic and competitive (Bishop et al. 2010; Kahn and
Leon 2000; Leon 2005). Emotional behavior in this line of research is
seen as an intrinsic part of a personality. I approach emotions and
emotion management as aspects of a social structure. Emotional
behavior is closely intertwined with an individual’s gender and
status. Emotion management is a conscious attempt to align one’s
emotions with situational emotion rules (Hochschild 1983). This future
study will examine emotion management and unwritten emotion rules in
space analog environments.

Today, Inga worked on her presentation for her backup PhD dissertation
chapter that will be presented at this year’s Mars Society
International Teleconvention.

References:

Bishop, Sheryl L. 2004. “Evaluating Teams in Extreme Environments:
From Issues to Answers.” Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine
75(Suppl 7):C14-21.

Bishop, Sheryl L., Ryan Kobrick, Melissa Battler, and Kim Binsted.
2010. “FMARS 2007: Stress and Coping in an Arctic Mars Simulation.”
Acta Astronautica 66(9):1353–67. doi: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2009.11.008.

Harm, Deborah, Richard Jennings, Janice Meck, Michael Powell, Lakshmi
Putcha, Clarence Sams, Suzanne Shneider, Linda Shackelford, Scott
Smith, and Peggy Whitson. 2001. “Genome and Hormones: Gender
Differences in Physiology. Invited Review: Gender Issues Related to
Space Flight in NASA Perspecitve.” Journal of Applied Psychology
(91):2374–83.

Hochschild, Arlie Russell. 1983. The Managed Heart: Commercialization
of Human Feeling. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Kahn, P., and G. Leon. 2000. “Group Climate & Individual Functioning
in an All-Women Antarctic Expedition Team.” Journal of Human
Performance in Extreme Environments 5(1). doi: 10.7771/2327-2937.1005.

Kanas, Nick, and Dietrich Manzey. 2008. Space Psychology and
Psychiatry. Springer Science & Business Media.

Kring, Jason P., and Megan A. Kaminski. 2012. “Gender Composition and
Crew Cohesion During Long-Duration Space Missions.” in On Orbit and
Beyond: Psychological Perspectives on Human Spaceflight, edited by D.
A. Vakoch. Springer Science & Business Media.

Leon, G. R. 2005. “Men and Women in Space.” Aviation, Space, and
Environmental Medicine 76(6 Suppl):B84-8.

Leon, Gloria R. 1991. “Individual and Group Process Characteristics of
Polar Expedition Teams.” Environment and Behavior 23(6):723–48. doi:
10.1177/0013916591236005.

Maggiori, Catherine, Jessica Stromberg, Yolanda Blanco, Jacqueline
Goordial, Edward Cloutis, Miriam García-Villadangos, Victor Parro, and
Lyle Whyte. 2020. “The Limits, Capabilities, and Potential for Life
Detection with MinION Sequencing in a Paleochannel Mars Analog.”
Astrobiology 20(3):375–93. doi: 10.1089/ast.2018.1964.

Mark, Saralyn, Graham B. I. Scott, Dorit B. Donoviel, Lauren B.
Leveton, Erin Mahoney, John B. Charles, and Bette Siegel. 2014. “The
Impact of Sex and Gender on Adaptation to Space: Executive Summary.”
Journal of Women’s Health (2002) 23(11):941–47. doi:
10.1089/jwh.2014.4914.

GreenHab Report – October 07th

Crew Scientist/GreenHab Officer: Inga Popovaite

Environmental control: Kept up at 65F at night; temp higher during the day. Doors open during the day.

Average temperatures: ~70-80F during the day; kept at 65F at night.

Hours of supplemental light: N/A

Daily water usage for crops: ~5-6 gallons. Air cooled off; no need for that much water.

Daily water usage for research and/or other purposes:

Water in Blue Tank ~94 gallons (~40% full)

Time(s) of watering for crops: morning, afternoon (2 times, checking soil moisture levels more often)

Changes to crops: Seeds are sprouting and seedlings are growing rapidly. Basil developed white leaves on the bottom, otherwise looks healthy. I suspect lack of sunlight but it can be nutrient deficiency. Banana peppers sprouted!

Narrative: Mostly caring for the seedlings; bigger plants are watered once a day. All plants are happy and growing fast. We use fresh herbs from the garden daily. I planted more microgreens on the left side of the microgreen bed.

Current crops:

Seedlings/sprouts: wild rocket, microgreens, tomatoes, radishes, cucumbers, zucchini, Swiss chard, chives, marjoram, sage, oregano, thyme, carrot, chamomile, lettuce, banana peppers

Mature: green onion, lettuce, cherry tomatoes, aloe, rosemary, basil, cilantro, mint, Swiss chard, aloe, thai hot pepper (ornamental).

Harvest: Since last report:

16 g green onion

38 g tomato

38 g micro greens

6 g mint

11 g arugula

Total: 109 g of fresh bounty to supplement dried vegetable rich diet.

Support/supplies needed: The purple plastic watering can got broken (I tripped on it and the spout fell off and broke). 🙁

Journalist Report – October 6th

DAD JOKES ON MARS
Lindsay Rutter
Commander, Crew 228

We Areonauts followed all planetary protection directives set forth by COVID amendments to the COSPAR treaties. And we successfully prevented the spread of the terrestrial virus into a space virus. But no matter how careful we were, there was one pest that hitchhiked its way onto our spacecraft and now can never be stopped – the Dad joke.

Dad jokes cannot be sterilized. There are no vaccines for Dad jokes. They are extremophiles of the highest order, surviving anything you throw at them, including microgravity and radiation. This is unequivocal.

It all started soon after we exited the Karman line. A crew member (who requested anonymity) let out what was unmistakably a Dad joke. For the most part, we tactfully ignored it. Still, I can’t help but think most of the crew said a little prayer that night in their staterooms, hoping that would be the end of it.

As the solar days turn to solar months, it has become clear we will see no end to the Dad joke. A pattern has emerged. First, a crew member will slip out a Dad joke. Then, there is a moment of silence, followed by a cacophony of groans. Sometimes, the crew will clear the room, essentially imposing an unspoken quarantine on the source of the joke, who is left alone to reflect on how they are no Jerry Seinfeld.

We each have been that person. And we each have reflected in isolation. But still, the Dad jokes continue.

In a last-ditch bid to rid ourselves of the pest, we wrote down the worst Dad jokes that have been committed on Mars so far, and ran the paper through the compost shredder. But this purification ceremony only emboldened the Dad joke, which victoriously resurrected itself within minutes when a crew member blurted out an all-new-low variant of the offense.

We have since surrendered defeat to the Dad joke.

It is possible that, one day, the social contagion of the Dad joke will make the fateful leap from human beings to AI beings. And should the AI community recursively self-improve the cheesiness factor, it will emerge worse than what we can even imagine today. It will be so bad, it will be almost transcendentally bad. What happens at that point – to space exploration, to consciousness in the universe – awaits latently in the realms of science fiction. Only time will tell.

Today, I transmit a rather sobering report that the Dad joke will always go wherever humans go. And now that we humans have landed on Mars, it is here with us to stay.

What to make of this, I wonder? If we couldn’t leave the Dad joke behind, is it possible to prevent contaminating Mars with other human transgressions? The wars. The corruption. The pollution.

I can’t help but fret sometimes. I’m concerned.

Why, nice to meet you, concerned! I’m Dad!

Crew 228 Sol Summary October 6th

Sol: 9

Summary Title: Sim Nears End

Author’s name: David Laude (XO)

Mission Status: Nominal, Hab fully prepared for in-sim operations

Sol Activity Summary: The day started with breakfast pancakes made
by Dave, during which time was discussed how our daily routine will run for
the next few sols. Dave and Inga completed EVA #6 to Candor Chasma. Jin started working
on a special edition of the journalist report for the final soul. Jin and Inga also
have been working on chili for dinner. Some greens were harvested from the
GreenHab for consumption. Lindsay has been using a DNA sequencer to identify
organisms. She investigated two regolith samples and got very low DNA yield so far.
She will continue with additional samples to see if she can get better DNA yield.
Either way, she will determine if she can identify particular microbes from low DNA yield.

Look Ahead Plan: Tomorrow will have a 7-8 hour break in sim for Dave and Jin as Jin needs to take a Covid test ahead of his flight from Grand Junction to Canada and Dave with a US drivers license will drive him for the test. Travel will be by Crew Car to Fruita just west of Grand Junction. The crew’s sim will soon end as they will clean the station for the next crew this Friday and depart MDRS Saturday for home.

Anomalies in work: Radio failure in field issues mostly battery related. Crew Engineer Dave will conduct more battery tests in hopes of culling out some weak batteries. Tests are done by charging a battery and then with a radio set to high power transmit level the push to talk button is held down with a clamp. A timer is used to time when the battery indicator in the radio indicates a depleted battery.

Weather: High of 71F today, partly cloudy. increasing winds in the afternoon with gusts ~20-25 MPH.

Crew Physical Status: All crew nominal.

EVA: Eva #6 with Dave and Inga to Candor Chasma was fully successful. Returned to airlock within seconds of planned arrival.

Reports to be filed: Science, Photo, Sol, Journalist

Support Requested: None

END

Crew 228 Science Report October 6th

Crew 228 Science Report 06Oct2021

Crew Scientist / GreenHab Officer Inga Popovaite

Science Report

Lindsay:

Today, Lindsay continued to investigate reddish-brown regolith she
collected along the slopes of the Jotunheim
structure, an inverted river bed located approximately two kilometers
North of the HAB at 38.41712 N, -110.78466 W (NAD27). The regolith
were collected from the same geographical feature sampled by Maggiori
et al. (2020), who confirmed the presences of microbes from all three
kingdoms of life, including extremophiles that could potentially
survive the harsh elements of the Martian environment, such as
psychrophiles, halophiles, and UV-resistant microorganisms. In the
ScienceDome, Lindsay extracted DNA using a Soil DNA Isolation
Plus Kit (Product #64000, Norgen Biotek Corp) and then prepared
the DNA samples into libraries using the Field Sequencing Kit
(SQK-LRK001, Oxford Nanopore Technology).
She has been using handheld DNA sequencer MinION to basecall and
sequence the libraries and the MinKNOW software to perform
metagenomics analyses on the reads from the MinION. Overall, this
process will allow Lindsay to identify what organisms, if any, are
present in the regolith samples. She aims to validate the findings of
Maggiori et al. (2020), only now conducting the complete experimental
process from regolith sample collection to metagenomics analysis while
undergoing planetary exploration simulation at MDRS, all as a
proof-of-concept that metagenomics studies can be completed in-situ in
this remote environment.

She investigated two regolith samples and got very low DNA yield so far. She will continue with additional samples to see if she can get better DNA yield. Either way, she will determine if she can identify particular microbes from low DNA yield. She plans to repeat the experiment in the home lab for comparison.

Jin:

Nothing to report today.

Inga:

I am studying small mixed gender crew interactions. There is no
significant gender difference in task performance and physical
adaptation in isolated, confined, and extreme environments (Harm et
al. 2001; Kanas and Manzey 2008; Mark et al. 2014). Mixed-gender crews
are praised as more efficient, cohesive, and with overall better team
climate than men-only teams. But at the same time gender differences
are recognized as a source of additional tension in a crew (Bishop
2004; Kahn and Leon 2000; Kring and Kaminski 2012; Leon 1991, 2005).
In my dissertation I aim to investigate gender inequality and
differences from a socio-structural point of view in order to help to
send a well-functioning group of women and men to Mars.

Currently at MDRS I collect ethnographic (participant observation)
data for the last chapter of my dissertation. In addition to rich
original data, this chapter will provide context to the rest of the
project. You can read more about the first part of my research in previous science reports.

References:

Bishop, Sheryl L. 2004. “Evaluating Teams in Extreme Environments:
From Issues to Answers.” Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine
75(Suppl 7):C14-21.

Bishop, Sheryl L., Ryan Kobrick, Melissa Battler, and Kim Binsted.
2010. “FMARS 2007: Stress and Coping in an Arctic Mars Simulation.”
Acta Astronautica 66(9):1353–67. doi: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2009.11.00

Harm, Deborah, Richard Jennings, Janice Meck, Michael Powell, Lakshmi
Putcha, Clarence Sams, Suzanne Shneider, Linda Shackelford, Scott
Smith, and Peggy Whitson. 2001. “Genome and Hormones: Gender
Differences in Physiology. Invited Review: Gender Issues Related to
Space Flight in NASA Perspective.” Journal of Applied Psychology
(91):2374–83.

Kahn, P., and G. Leon. 2000. “Group Climate & Individual Functioning
in an All-Women Antarctic Expedition Team.” Journal of Human
Performance in Extreme Environments 5(1). doi: 10.7771/2327-2937.1005.

Kanas, Nick, and Dietrich Manzey. 2008. Space Psychology and
Psychiatry. Springer Science & Business Media.

Kring, Jason P., and Megan A. Kaminski. 2012. “Gender Composition and
Crew Cohesion During Long-Duration Space Missions.” in On Orbit and
Beyond: Psychological Perspectives on Human Spaceflight, edited by D.
A. Vakoch. Springer Science & Business Media.

Leon, G. R. 2005. “Men and Women in Space.” Aviation, Space, and
Environmental Medicine 76(6 Suppl):B84-8.

Leon, Gloria R. 1991. “Individual and Group Process Characteristics of
Polar Expedition Teams.” Environment and Behavior 23(6):723–48. doi:
10.1177/0013916591236005.

Maggiori, Catherine, Jessica Stromberg, Yolanda Blanco, Jacqueline
Goordial, Edward Cloutis, Miriam García-Villadangos, Victor Parro, and
Lyle Whyte. 2020. “The Limits, Capabilities, and Potential for Life
Detection with MinION Sequencing in a Paleochannel Mars Analog.”
Astrobiology 20(3):375–93. doi: 10.1089/ast.2018.1964.

Mark, Saralyn, Graham B. I. Scott, Dorit B. Donoviel, Lauren B.
Leveton, Erin Mahoney, John B. Charles, and Bette Siegel. 2014. “The
Impact of Sex and Gender on Adaptation to Space: Executive Summary.”
Journal of Women’s Health (2002) 23(11):941–47. doi:
10.1089/jwh.2014.4914.

Crew 228 EVA#6 Report October 6th

Crew 228 EVA Report 06-Oct-2021

EVA #6

Author: Inga Popovaite and David Laude

Purpose of EVA: Exploration of Candor Chasma

Start time: 13.00

End time: 16.00

Narrative:

Dave and Inga drove to one of the entrances to Candor Chasma and explored the beginning of the canyon. The area is beautiful and breathtaking; the canyon is worth spending more time in. There was ample evidence for water flow along dry stream beds with rounded pebbles along the bed. Sedimentary layers were abundant. Also seen is what appeared to be limestone. They took a lot of photos and a few videos for outreach purposes. Inga interviewed Dave about his love for canyons. They took four radios; two of them either died due to low battery or started malfunctioning. Wind picked up on the second half of the EVA during the drive back and it was hard to communicate with VOX setting on. The wind noise caused radios to activate transmit via the VOX function. This helped to drain the batteries. A couple of lessons for the future: backup radios are a must; when it is windy it might be better to have the radio transmit manually operated.

Destination: Candor Chasma.

Coordinates (use UTM NAD27 CONUS): 38.4155 N, -110.768 W

EVA Participants: Dave Laude, Inga Popovaite

Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map: We traveled on Cow Dung Road 0110 and then along Galileo Rd 1104/Cactus Rd 1104.

Mode of travel: Driving, walking

Vehicles you will be using (If applicable): Curiosity and Spirit

EVA Report – October 05th

EVA #5

Author: Lindsay Rutter

Purpose of EVA: Collecting endolith and non-endolith rock samples on the Jotunheim structure

Start time: 0817

End time: 1032

Narrative:

Dave and Lindsay departed the HAB using the Opportunity and Curiosity rovers. The weather was cloudy, with a chance of rain. They turned left onto Cow Dung Road and proceeded North, until they arrived without incident at the intersection with Galileo Road. They parked approximately 50m North of the intersection, established contact with HabCom, and indicated they would likely experience radio blackout while circumnavigating the Jotunheim feature, and would return to an area with reception by 1000. They then dismounted the rovers, and traversed the remaining 500m to the structure by foot.

During the walk, they encountered numerous features that were visually similar to the target destination, but they did not experience difficulty finding it because Lindsay had already reached the structure using the same route in a previous EVA. Upon arrival, they conclusively identified the target destination with the aid of GPS. They then began to circumnavigate the structure counterclockwise. At five separate points along the structure, Lindsay collected samples, primarily on the structure’s slopes. Lindsay selected triplicate samples of endolith rocks and triplicate samples of non-endolith rocks. She donned extra large lab gloves over her spacesuit gloves and collected the rocks into sterilized bags for follow-up analysis. Dave recorded GPS coordinates, elevation, and collection time for each sample using the GPS Essentials application. He also manually recorded the metadata in a field notebook.

Dave and Lindsay departed the Jotunheim feature at 0958. Along the return walk, they attempted to reestablish connection every 30 seconds with HabCom, and successfully reestablished contact about halfway on the return walk to their rovers. Upon arriving at the rovers, Lindsay’s radio displayed a low battery warning and began failing to properly transmit and receive, despite it being fully charged at the beginning of the EVA. She rectified the issue by reconnecting her headpiece with her backup radio.

Dave and Lindsay began to depart Southward on Cow Dung Road, heading back to the HAB. About halfway of the return distance, they noted an off-white, elevated, and dome-shaped feature about 10m from the Westside berm of the road, that could be investigated in a future EVA. They returned to the HAB without incident. Less than one minute after entering the airlock, they were informed light precipitation had begun.

Destination: Jotunheim Structure

Coordinates: zone 12 4251912 N 518799 E (38.41712 N, -110.78466 W [NAD27])

Participants: L. Rutter, D. Laude

Road(s) and routes per MDRS map: Cow Dung Road 0110

Mode of travel: Opportunity and Curiosity rovers, walking

Journalist Report – October 05th

"The Case for Age"

While on EVA today the idea for this report began to take form in my mind. Here I am in the 65+ age group and walking about Mars. But of what use is age here? Is there any advantage? In "The Case For Mars" book a good argument is made for a small crew size with two of the crew being engineers with training in other essential areas. Things will break and that is very bad once you leave earth. Maybe deadly or mission ending. An engineer is usually highly trained in one narrow area (like micro-chip design in my case) and without a diverse knowledge base beyond that. I have heard that NASA has had a difficult time in recent decades recruiting engineers with a diverse experience base. They are highly trained in one niche, but can’t replace a lamp cord or spark plugs for instance. These engineers had missed out on hands on experiences from a young age maybe because of such distractions as "Smart" phones and other electronic information devices. I was blessed not to have those distractions in my youth. Around age 5, I was disassembling small mechanical devices (alarm clock). By age 8, I was disassembling old radios and an occasional TV, even removing rivets so I could add a tube socket to my building inventory that I knew not how to practically use yet. By age 10, I was not very successfull in making my own rockets, propellent and hydrogen bombs (using H and O2 gasses I derived by electrolysis and put into a small container with electrical detonator). By age 12, building some simple electronics devices and repairing radios, By age 14, repairing TVs. By age 16, repairing vehicles and most any other thing that most people would trash, I would restore for more years of use. I could go on, but you surely get my point by now. I used my hands and brains in a wide variety of productive ways that the social and entertainment apps of today would have deprived me of.

I have used that knowledge on Crew 80 and Crew 228 to repair such items as EVA suit electrical, toilets, water pump, ATV, door, radio, sink drain strainer, water heater and things I have since forgotten. And all with full confidence. The extremely useful skill of improvising is also a desirable trait, especially with limited resources.

With all that said, I can now say that one engineer should be older than the rest of the crew for the greater depth and breadth of experience in many mechanical and electrical systems starting from a young age. Good luck finding such a person. Should the author of "The Case For Mars" read this, I can imagine seeing one or two thumbs up to "The Case For Age".

David Laude

Crew 228 Executive Officer/Crew Engineer

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