Day: December 26, 2022

Crew 271 Sol Summary Report 19-12-2022

Sol: 1

Summary Title: Slow, relaxing day

Author’s name: Marc Levesque, Commander

Mission Status: Will not begin sim until all crew members on station.

Sol Activity Summary: The fifth member of our crew arrived today and settled in. Observations with the MDRS 14 telescope were completed last night. Additional maintenance was completed on the newly installed mast extension of the radio repeater, and crew members explored the nearby dinosaur fossils.

Look Ahead Plan: Await the results of a second COVID test for our sixth crew member who remains in Grand Junction.

Anomalies in work: None

Weather: Cold and sunny

Crew Physical Status: Good

EVA: None

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Operations, and Astronomy.

Support Requested: None

Photos for 19-DEC-2022

Crew 271 Operations Report 19-12-2022

SOL: 1

Name of person filing report: Sergii Iakymov

Non-nominal systems: N/A

Notes on non-nominal systems: N/A

ROVERS

Spirit rover used: Not used

Hours: N/A

Beginning charge: N/A

Ending charge: N/A

Currently charging: Yes

Opportunity rover used: Not used

Hours: N/A

Beginning charge: N/A

Ending charge: N/A

Currently charging: Yes

Curiosity rover used: Not used

Hours: N/A

Beginning charge: N/A

Ending charge: N/A

Currently charging: Yes

Perseverance rover used: Not used

Hours: N/A

Beginning charge: N/A

Ending charge: N/A

Currently charging: Yes

General notes on rovers: N/A

Summary of Hab operations: put notes here

WATER USE: 42.3 gallons

Water (static tank): 497.7 gallons

Static tank pipe heater (on or off): On

Static tank heater (On or off): On

Toilet tank emptied: No

Summary of internet: Nominal

Summary of suits and radios: Reflected tape added to the repeater cables for safety.

Summary of GreenHab operations:

WATER USE: ~ 10 gal

Heater: On

Supplemental light: not plugged

Harvest: N/A

Summary of ScienceDome operations: Not used

Dual split: On

Summary of RAM operations: A multimeter used for radios battery inspection.

Summary of any observatory issues: N/A

Summary of health and safety issues: Non

Questions, concerns and requests to Mission Support: N/A

Crew 271 Journalist Report 19-12-2022

Sol: 1

Author’s name: Helen Eifert, Crew Geologist

Title: Deconstructed Pancakes

While Crew 271 awaits the status of their final crew member, our near complete crew is settling into the Hab before the official start to our simulation. Think of it like our pre-launch protection, where astronauts are isolated to ensure their health prior to launch. Of course, this particular isolation comes with some perks. Today we explored our martian environment, found some intriguing bio signatures, sampled green beans from the GreenHab, and enjoyed some puppy pets before our official “launch.”

As a Mars Desert Research Station rookie, I am discovering the joys of dehydrated food! Our crew has already started claiming containers of their favorite fruits for extra consumption. Sergii treated the crew to fruity pancakes for lunch, but they didn’t quite hold their form. We decided to rebrand the crumbles as “deconstructed pancakes” and feel that would definitely sell at a 5-star restaurant. All and all, we look forward to the start of our mission!

Crew 271 Journalist Report 20-12-2022

Sol: 2

Author’s name: Helen Eifert, Crew Geologist

Title: TiraMARSu

Much like the traditional dessert dish of Cesare’s home country, Italian tiramisu, today had layers. Another day of pre-launch protection for crew 271 meant a mellow day with surges of activity. In the morning, most of our crew took to the lower deck for some exercise. Not only are we taking astronaut exercise requirements seriously, but we will need it to work off the carb-rich lady finger layers of the tiramisu we made today. Midday, we layered trainings for Alicyn’s research with decorating the upper deck for the holidays. By the end of our mission, our entire crew should be competent at external fixation of the tibia. As an added bonus, in addition to a large blow up baby Yoda and a goldilocks spread of tabletop Christmas trees, the halls are decked with tinseled tibias. In the early evening, we harvested our first crops from the GreenHab for some evening soup. Finally, our whole crew lent a hand in the creation of our tiraMARSu, a sweet treat to kick off our anticipated launch tomorrow!

We’ve got all our toes and lady fingers crossed for our final crew member to join us tomorrow! With our launch officially scheduled, our two rookies, myself included, have coffee-like jitters. With our seasoned veterans aboard, I’m confident our mission will be as easy breezy as the tiramisu’s light and fluffy cream. I hope you aren’t too tired of my tiramisu similes that I’ve been sprinkling in like the cocoa powder on top. Mars here we come!

Crew 271 Operations Report 20-12-2022

SOL: 2

Name of person filing report: Sergii Iakymov

Non-nominal systems: Station generator

Notes on non-nominal systems: The generator started last night after several attempts only and the engine was producing non nominal sound during its work. Investigation was done by station personnel and revealed that one of the parts of the generator needs to be replaced. Work for the part replacement is scheduled for Thursday.

ROVERS

Spirit rover used: Not used

Hours: N/A

Beginning charge: N/A

Ending charge: N/A

Currently charging: Yes

Opportunity rover used: Not used

Hours: N/A

Beginning charge: N/A

Ending charge: N/A

Currently charging: Yes

Curiosity rover used: Not used

Hours: N/A

Beginning charge: N/A

Ending charge: N/A

Currently charging: Yes

Perseverance rover used: Not used

Hours: N/A

Beginning charge: N/A

Ending charge: N/A

Currently charging: No

General notes on rovers: N/A

Summary of Hab operations: put notes here

WATER USE: 26.14 gallons

Water (static tank): 471.58 gallons

Static tank pipe heater (on or off): On

Static tank heater (On or off): On

Toilet tank emptied: No

Summary of internet: Nominal

Summary of suits and radios: N/A

Summary of GreenHab operations:

WATER USE: 8 gal

Heater: On

Supplemental light: plugged

Harvest: 14 grams

Summary of ScienceDome operations: Not used

Dual split: On

Summary of RAM operations: N/A.

Summary of any observatory issues: N/A

Summary of health and safety issues: Non

Questions, concerns and requests to Mission Support: N/A

Crew 271 GreenHab Report 20-12-2022

GreenHab Officer: Alicyn Grete

Environmental control: heater

Average temperatures: 67 degrees F, about 20 degrees C

Hours of supplemental light: 4 hours

Daily water usage for crops: 8 gallons

Daily water usage for research and/or other purposes: 0 gallons

Water in Blue Tank 172 gallons

Time(s) of watering for crops: 1930

Changes to crops: Took 17 grams of Chives

Narrative: We harvested chives to eat in our soup tonight, measuring it on the scale after harvesting. I watered the plants at 1930, but will begin watering them at 0800 and 1700 for the new plants so that the timing will be more

Harvest: Took 17 grams of Chives

Support/supplies needed: N/A

Crew 271 Sol Summary Report 20-12-2022

Sol: 2

Summary Title: Pre-launch activities

Author’s name: Marc Levesque, Commander

Mission Status: Awaiting sim commencement tomorrow

Sol Activity Summary: The crew completed the first phase of a crew member’s medical project and stayed busy with various personal projects and exercise routines. Observations with the MDRS 14 telescope were completed last night, but no report will be submitted as the pictures were not optimal.

Look Ahead Plan: With the negative COVID test results received for our sixth crew member who remained in Grand Junction, we plan to pick him up in the morning in order to start sim at noon tomorrow.

Anomalies in work: None

Weather: Cold and mostly cloudy

Crew Physical Status: Good

EVA: None

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Operations, Journalist, GreenHab, and EVA Request.

Support Requested: None

Crew 271 Sol Summary Report 21-12-2022

Sol: 3

Summary Title: Start of sim

Author’s name: Marc Levesque, Commander

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary: The crew celebrated the Winter Solstice with the arrival of our sixth crew member and the beginning of sim at noon after the obligatory crew picture on the front porch of the Hab and bidding adieu to Director Shannon. Soon thereafter, two EVAs were completed to familiarize rookie crew members on EVA suits, radios, and rover driving. The crew then settled in for dinner and our first evening together as a full crew.

Look Ahead Plan: Two EVAs are planned to start science field work and provide more training for crew members.

Anomalies in work: None

Weather: Less cold and sunny

Crew Physical Status: Good

EVA: Two

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Operations, Journalist, GreenHab, EVA reports, and EVA Requests.

Support Requested: None

Crew 271 Journalist Report 21-12-2022

Sol: 3

Author’s name: Helen Eifert, Crew Geologist

Title: Warming Up

BREAKING: our final crew member was deemed fit for space travel; we are cleared for takeoff! We actually found out much earlier, but transmissions from Mars to Earth are slow. Much like the freshly baked loaf of bread Cesare made today, Eifert and Grete rose for an early morning journey to Grand Junction, where our last crew member was in his own pre-launch isolation. Yes, I will be continuing to make food similes all mission. Upon return to the station, Crew 271 officially launched at 1200 for Mars! Hab hath risen.

We’re not sure what kind of rockets the Mars Society has their hands on, but I’m sure Elon Musk has something to do with it. We made swift progress to Mars. We landed and were ready for our first EVA just one short hour after launch at 1300. Incredible. All three of our rookies set foot on Mars for the first time, learned how to operate the rovers, and performed the marble ritual as per tradition. We all succeeded in making 3-point turns with the rovers despite having no peripheral vision in our EVA suits. We warmed up from the cooler martian temperatures with some fresh bread and settled in to our new environment. It was wonderful to have our first dinner as a full crew! YEASTerday, mission support alerted us that temperatures are warming up and we are surely feeling warmed up for a successful mission ahead.

P.S. the tiraMARSu tastes even better the next day