Sol: 5
Summary Title: Misstep on Mars
Author’s name: Dr. Jenni Hesterman, Commander
Mission Status: Nominal
Commander Report:
The crew was up early and enjoyed a light breakfast while discussing the day ahead.
In the only scheduled EVA for the day, 3 crew members took 3 rovers out to test them after recent servicing. They proceeded up Cow Dung Road to Brahe Highway, the turnaround point. On the return trip to the station, one of the rovers overheated and stopped working in a gulley. The other crew members safely parked and made their way on foot down to the location. After a few attempts to restart the rover, the crew decided to leave it behind and return to base 25 minutes before the end of the mission to assess the situation. As the rover is a precious resource, the crew should have spent the extra time waiting to see if the vehicle would cool off. We continue to learn each day and know these mistakes and experiences will inform our future work.
Over a lunch of baked macaroni and cheese, the crew discussed lessons learned and updated the EVA procedures checklists. They enjoyed a quiet afternoon in the station, reading, playing space chess and interacting with Paro, an artificial intelligence therapeutic robot in the form of a baby seal.
We’re excited to get back out on an EVA tomorrow morning! We will accomplish first aid training and team building activities in the afternoon