Crew Photos – November 23th
Sol Summary – November 23th
Sol: 10
Summary Title: Thanksgiving on Mars
Author’s name: Jas Purewal
Mission Status: Nominal
Sol Activity Summary:
EVA at 10:00 to Special Region. 9 biological samples were collected, including cloudy ice. This afternoon we celebrated Thanksgiving with the ultimate feast.
Look Ahead Plan: Commander and XO going on EVA to 1105 via Summerville Overlook to scout lichen for crew Biologist. Additionally searching for hydrous minerals, clays, sulfates and silica. Crew biologists will analyze collected samples. Training from Commander on “The gifts of fear and intuition and how to survive the unthinkable”.
Anomalies in work: None
Weather: Rather nice. Sunny, clear. No rain.
Crew Physical Status: Dizzy crew member is feeling much better.
EVA: XO, HSO and Biologist (The dream team) took Spirit and Curiosity to The Special Region to search for biological samples. 9 biological samples were collected.
Reports to be filed:
Commander’s report
GreenHab
EVA report
EVA request
Operations report
Sol Summary report
Journalist report
Support Requested: none
Operations Report – November 23th
SOL: 10
Name of person filing report: Jas Purewal
Non-nominal systems: Number 7 spacesuit has an issue with the charge point. A metal push pin is loose. Sink leaked again.
Notes on non-nominal systems: NA
ROVERS
Spirit rover used: Yes
Hours: (before EVA) 200.2
Beginning charge: (Before EVA) 100%
Ending charge: (On return from EVA, before recharging) 45%
Currently charging: No
Opportunity rover used: No
Hours: NA
Beginning charge: NA
Ending charge: NA
Currently charging: NA
Curiosity rover used: Yes
Hours: 212.8
Beginning charge: 100%
Ending charge: 47%
Currently charging: No
Perseverance rover used: No
Hours: NA
Beginning charge: NA
Ending charge: NA
Currently charging: NA
General notes on rovers:
Summary of Hab operations: put notes here
WATER USE: 25 gallons
Water (static tank): 150 gallons
Static tank pipe heater (on or off): on
Static tank heater (On or off) on
Toilet tank emptied: Yes
Summary of internet: Good
Summary of suits and radios: optimal
Summary of GreenHab operations: None
WATER USE: 5.71 gallons
Heater: On
Supplemental light: Off
Harvest: none
Summary of ScienceDome operations: None
Dual split: (Heat or AC, On or Off) Heat, Off
Summary of RAM operations: (Tools used, work done)
Summary of any observatory issues: NA
Summary of health and safety issues: Dizzy crew member feels much better.
Questions, concerns and requests to Mission Support:
Journalist Report – November 23th
Sol: 10
Title: M is for Mars, M is for Magic
Author: Izabela Shopova, Crew Journalist
We start the Sol an hour later than usual – everyone is tired after the busy day yesterday and we need to catch up on our sleep. Jennie whips up chocolate pancakes and an amazing quinoa, blueberries and coconut meal (from the space nutrition app we are testing) for breakfast.
Our daily operations meeting is short – we have two major tasks planned for sol 10 – a 4-hour-long EVA to the Special region in the morning and preparations for Thanksgiving dinner in the afternoon.
We are confident and calm as our crewmates are getting ready for the EVA, test the life support systems, enter the airlock and 8 minutes later leave the station with two of the rovers. Halfway through their EVA the weather suddenly changes, and the wind picks up – it appears that the weather forecast has changed dramatically since last night. The tunnels’ tarpaulin and the external doors start flapping and trembling, reminding us every minute of the potential danger that is brewing out there in the stark landscape. We wait anxiously for the radio to come alive again. And exhale with relief. when we finally hear the loud and clear voice of our crew biologists: “HabCom, com check”. The EVA goes well, without a hitch. The EVA crew is tired but happy and satisfied with their last EVA for the season, rich with experience and incredible photos.
Their return triggers the beginning of the long-anticipated food preparations for our Thanksgiving dinner.
And they are epic!
3 hours later the Hub is filled with mouthwatering flavors, cozy warmth, and Thanksgiving homemade magic, while our American crewmates are playing hosts and setting up an amazingly beautiful table with Thanksgiving napkins, paper plates, tablecloth, orange cutlery (all of which were delivered and stored secretly in the Commander’s room before the beginning of the sim) and a multitude of irresistible traditional dishes. Each one more tempting and better looking than the last.
Mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, sweet potato casserole with … wait for it! … marshmallows!, cranberry sauce (disguised like slices of beetroot), sweet corn, turkey, actual cranberries, green beans casserole with cream of mushroom soup and crunchy onion rings on top, Did I mention marshmallows?
If anyone thought that this was all of the food on our table, they know nothing about Thanksgiving. There is always desert! Even on Mars.
And, no, it’s not the marshmallows (they were just a side dish for the turkey, kind of veggies). Just before the opening of the comms window, a sumptuous, crunchy, juicy, full of flavor, decadence and temptation apple pie emerged from the oven.
On Thanksgiving Mars is magic.
GreenHab Report – November 23th
Sol 10
GreenHab Officer: Caitlyn Hubric
Environmental control: (heater, fan, door open?) heater on, door closed, 20% humidity
Average temperatures: 43.3ºC/13.5ºC
Hours of supplemental light: N/A
Daily water usage for crops: 21.6 L ≈ 5.71 gal
Daily water usage for research and/or other purposes: 0 gal
Water in Blue Tank ~245 gallons
Time(s) of watering for crops: twice, morning and night, 9am-6pm
Changes to crops:
-The tomatoes in single planters on both wood pallets are doing very well. The ones in front of the big blue bin are starting to grow faster and produce true leaves. The tomatoes in the big blue bin are growing, but still nowhere near as fast as the others.
Narrative:
-Tomorrow I plan to reassess the planters in the greenhouse and see if anything needs to be replanted again. Are there any crops you would like me to prepare for the next crew?
Harvest: (include which crop and mass in grams) N/A
Support/supplies needed: N/A
EVA Report – November 23th
EVA # 12
Author: Elizabeth Balga
Purpose of EVA: Biological sample collection.
Start time: 10:30 AM
End time: ~2:00 PM
Narrative: XO, BIO, and HSO drove north to the Gateway to Lith to explore the “Special Region”. XO used the drone to preview the region at the beginning of the EVA while BIO and HSO explored on foot to identify an entry point. BIO collected several samples of ice and other specimens throughout the canyon. On the return trip, XO tested the drone in various locations and wind conditions.
Destination: Gateway to Lith and Special Region
Coordinates (use UTM WGS 84): 518000, 4256000
Participants: XO, BIO, HSO
Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map:
“Cow Dung Rd” to “Gateway to Lith” by rover
Rover from “Gateway to Lith” to “Special Region” by rover
Explore “Special Region” by foot
Return, stopping at several points along the way to test the drone
Mode of travel: Rovers (Curi, Spirit), Walking
Commander Report – November 23th
Sol: 10
Summary Title: Early Thanksgiving on Mars
Author’s name: Dr. Jenni Hesterman, Commander
Mission Status: Nominal
Commander Report:
After an evening of training and discussion following our emergency EVA exercise, the crew opted to sleep in an extra hour today. We are Beta testing the Space Labs ABC nutrition app, which won the 2021 National Space Society’s Health and Diet contest. This morning we tried one of their innovative gluten-free recipes and cooked a delicious breakfast porridge with quinoa, coconut milk and honey, topped with reconstituted dehydrated blueberries.
Three crew members drove north to the Gateway to Lith on 4 hour EVA to explore the Special Region. The XO used the drone to preview the region to find the best point of entry. The Biological officer then collected several samples of ice and other specimens throughout the canyon. On the return trip, the XO tested the drone in various locations and varying wind conditions.
The team opted to celebrate Thanksgiving today so they could enjoy leftovers for their remaining two days of the mission. We enjoyed turkey, cranberries, traditional side dishes and an apple pie dessert. The crew talked about the meaning behind the holiday and shared things they are thankful for. We’ll tackle our final EVA tomorrow and conduct a last training session prior to planning for our Saturday departure from Mars.
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