Day: January 9, 2023

Posted on

Journalist Report – December 28th

Sol: 10

Author’s name: Helen Eifert, Crew Geologist

Title: Pie in the Sky

This evening, we were graced with our first bit of snow on Mars. A martian snowfall consists of carbon dioxide rather than water and the flakes are cubical! This snow only occurs at the poles, where human presence would be difficult, so how we managed to wind up here is a gosh dang mystery. Hopefully we find our way back towards the equator by the morning to squeeze in our final space walks on the red planet.

I am happy to report that Crew 271 has made it one full day without any injuries. A true feat with the IMARS team apparently, particularly in the lower leg region. At this point in the mission, we’ve all found our comfortable routines in close quarters with each other. Today was largely uneventful due to poor weather in the forecast and no scheduled EVAs as a result. In space we always prefer safe over sorry. A productive start to the mission afforded us this leisure as we wrapped up many of our research projects indoors.

Grete started building her amateur movie making career in putting together the feature length film titled “Pain! Pain! Pain!: An Astronomical Accident.” Eifert took the excitement of watching dirt dry indoors, this time baking it an oven. This ordeal is 100% less fun than baking cookies because despite the geologist inclination to taste samples, there’s no sweet treat to eat at the end. Levesque and Guariniello took to writing today. Marc tell me edting is keY. Iakymov ensured the Hab stayed standing and everything was operational. Meanwhile Kaosaar set up cameras around the Hab to observe us all day.

It’s wild that we are almost ready to return to Earth, just in time for the new year. Cesare treated us to pizza for dinner tonight. We literally enjoyed pie in the sky. We’ll be returning to Mars in 2023 to start an interplanetary franchise of planetary pizza parlors. Cesare will be the chef, Alicyn will source the greens and run marketing, Sergii will maintain the appliances, Andres will be our designated fly on the wall, and Marc will get stuck doing the dishes again as usual. As for me, I guess I will just watch the pizzas bake in the oven and jot some things down.

Posted on

Sol Summary – December 29th

Sol: 11

Summary Title: End of sim

Author’s name: Marc Levesque, Commander

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary: Our mission wound down today with one EVA in the afternoon after it was decided to postpone a morning one because of poor ground conditions from yesterday’s precipitation. In the afternoon with the ground firmer, an EVA team walked to Skyline Rim for Guariniellos’ geology project, concluding our planned EVAs for the mission. Tonight, our last dinner in sim was topped off with a Goodbye Mars cake for dessert.

Look Ahead Plan: Our crew will be going out of sim in the morning and start preparing for our return to Earth by packing, cleaning, and report writing. Depending on the weather in the morning, we’re planning a non-EVA reconnaissance of the North Ridge for a possible repeater relocation route.

Anomalies in work: None

Weather: Sunny and cool

Crew Physical Status: Good

EVA: One

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

Support Requested: None

Posted on

EVA Report – December 29th

EVA #13

Author: Cesare Guariniello

Purpose of EVA: 1) Collecting rocks and clay samples above Hab ridge and at the foot of Skyline Rim. These samples are for analysis of properties for In-Situ Resource Utilization 2) Radio communication check.

Start time: 1230
End time: 1510

Narrative: The crew left the Hab area on foot, followed route 1103 up to Hab Ridge. Communication with the habitat was tested on top of the ridge with excellent results. During the walk, extensive videographic and photographic footage was collected. The crew sampled the soil along the way and walked about 4km, up to the bottom of Skyline Rim. Climbing in the middle of two alluvial fans, the crew found loose samples assumed to come from the layers above. In particular, one fan had boulders made of relatively large-grain sandstone. A secondary fan was strewn with large rectangular slabs of red shale. The whole EVA crew helped collect samples. Another radio communication check showed that the repeater installed on Hab Ridge allows for direct communication with the habitat from Skyline Rim. After a few minutes to rest and enjoy the beauty of the extensive view from Skyline Rim, the crew headed back to the hab.

Destination: Skyline Rim

Coordinates: 515430, 4251442

EVA Participants: Käosaar, Eifert, Iakymov, Guariniello

Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map: Walked from the Hab to Hab Ridge along 1103 (Sagan Hwy), then followed 1103 to the foot of Skyline Rim

Mode of travel: Walking

Posted on

GreenHab Report – December 29th

Crew 271 GreenHab Report 29-12-2022
GreenHab Officer: Alicyn Grete
Environmental control: heater
Average temperatures: 70 degrees F, about 20 degrees C
Hours of supplemental light: 4 hours
Daily water usage for crops: 11 gallons
Daily water usage for research and/or other purposes: 0 gallons
Water in Blue Tank 94 gallons
Time(s) of watering for crops: 0930, 1730
Changes to crops: Harvested 13g beans, 30g microgreens
Narrative: Watered all the new plants in the morning, harvested beans and microgreens for salad at lunch, watered all plants in the afternoon
Harvest: 13g beans, 30g microgreens
Support/supplies needed: N/A

Posted on

Journalist Report – December 29th

Sol: 11

Author’s name: Helen Eifert, Crew Geologist

Title: Clayke

CONTENT WARNING: Dad jokes ahead. 11 days is a lot of days to come up with witty food puns and similes. I refuse to discard this bit, so buckle up for all the creative juice I have left.

Today was our last day on Mars! Crew 271 enjoyed a slow morning while all the dirt outside dried. Naturally, I watched the whole ordeal from one of the small windows in the Hab. By 1200, Guariniello, Iakymov, Kaosaar, and Eifert suited up one more time for the last EVA on Mars. We took a pleasant 8 km stroll from the Hab to Skyline Rim for spectacular views. Here, we gathered Mancos shale samples for Cesare’s research.

As we ascended towards Skyline Rim, we encountered thin beds of white sandstones like frosting between layers of cake. In this case the proverbial cake is clay. Clayke. Here we see more influence of water in the form of potholes where groundwater makes its way through cracks in the clay, creating vertical channels. A hazard for astronauts, but if you think of it in the clayke context, that light fluffy texture would impress the likes of Paul Hollywood. Once we topped Hab Ridge (Amazonis Planitia), Skyline Ridge ahead displayed magnificent mass wastings, which could also be used to describe the activity of Crew 271 devouring cake. Along with large colluvial fans, there were gullies, and thin layers of shale towering above us. Source shale we shall.

All the while, Andres filmed us, not for studying our behavior, but this time for Estonian TV. Just to paint the picture fully, this involved him scuttling ahead in the bulky EVA suit, plopping down the tripod, filming us walk by, and then scurrying ahead again for another shot. We look forward to our inevitable rise to super stardom in Estonia.

Upon return, Levesque and Grete had baked goods waiting for the four hungry astronauts. There was bread, obviously, but also cake to celebrate our last day on Mars. We completed one final jigsaw puzzle and reflected on the successful mission behind us. Tonight we will go to sleep on Mars and wake up back on Earth, where I am positive my jokes will be significantly less funny. To those who aren’t slap happy from living in a tin can on Mars for two weeks I say, let them eat clayke.

Posted on

Operations Report – December 29th

SOL: 11

Name of person filling report: Sergii Iakymov
Non-nominal systems: Kitchen sink cabinet hinge, headset#2, solar observatory.
Notes on non-nominal systems: Kitchen sink cabinet hinge is not repaired yet.

ROVERS
Spirit rover used: No
Hours: 206.0
Beginning charge: Not measured
Ending charge: N/A
Currently charging: Yes

Opportunity rover used: No
Hours: 110.4
Beginning charge: Not measured
Ending charge: N/A
Currently charging: Yes

Curiosity rover used: No
Hours: 217.8
Beginning charge: Not measured
Ending charge: N/A
Currently charging: Yes

Perseverance rover used: No
Hours: 252.5
Beginning charge: Not measured
Ending charge: N/A
Currently charging: Yes

General notes on rovers: None

Summary of Hab operations:
WATER USE 29.41 gallons
Water (static tank): 252.66 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: Headset #2 button velcro strap needs to be replaced, it is not repairable.

Summary of GreenHab operations:
WATER USE: 11 gal
Heater: On
Supplemental light: plugged
Harvest: 13g beans, 30g microgreens
Summary of ScienceDome operations: used for Eifert, Guariniello projects.

Dual split: On

Summary of RAM operations: N/A.
Summary of any observatory issues: Stop limit switch for second shutter of the solar observatory is getting stuck from time to time.
Summary of health and safety issues: None
Questions, concerns and requests to Mission Support: N/A.

Posted on

Astronomy Report – December 29th

[category 

astronomy-report]

Sol 11

Astronomy Report
Name: Cesare Guariniello
Crew: 271
Date: 12/29/2022

MDRS ROBOTIC OBSERVATORY
Robotic Telescope Requested: None
Objects to be Imaged this Evening: — (cloudy)
Images submitted with this report: None
Problems Encountered: None

MUSK OBSERVATORY
The whole crew took turns to observe the Sun, using the H-alpha filter and protection for visual observation. Then, the Crew Astronomer Guariniello and the Crew Engineer Iakymov worked on focusing and tuning the camera to observe sunspots.
Images submitted with this report: Sunspots_20221229
Problems Encountered: Astronomy Laptop had an issue with the bios (date not set), after fixing that it started properly. Stopping button for the second shutter sometimes gets stuck in low position which, after closing the shutter, prevents the reopening until the button is manually pulled.

Posted on

Sol Summary Report – Jan 8th

Crew 272 Sol Summary Report 08-01-2023

Sol: 7

SummaryTitle:Relaxing Sol at the Hab

Author’s name: Kshitij Mall

Mission Status: All nominal

SolActivitySummary:The crew decided to take a day off mid-mission very similar to what happens with the astronauts on the ISS. Since the EVA crew yesterday performed very well, I rewarded them with their first showers, which all have taken by today. I also rewarded them with extra sleep, which most of them desired, especially our Crew Geologist Adriana who has been on all EVAs but one. The crew slept last night by 11 pm so they were allowed to wake up at the latest by 9 am. Since I was the chef for the morning, I thought of sharing traditional Indian breakfast with the crew. This was the first time I made Poha (a popular flattened rice breakfast) on Mars and it served more as a brunch item for the team, satiating their hungry stomachs. To spice things up as my Poha recipe had no green chilli, I shared Indian Spice Tea (akin to the ones we find on tapri or street side tea stalls in India) with the crew. Indian biscuits were also offered, and it was the first time for most of threw to have this kind of a breakfast that too on Mars. While preparing tea, I encountered an issue: I accidentally left my tea strainer back on Earth and I knew no emergency interplanetary cargo ship was available today to deliver me this very important item. Thinking like a Maritan the breakfast crew comprising myself, XO Arly, and Crew Journalist Kenneth found a jugaad (Indian word for a makeshift solution) to address this problem. In the kitchen, we identified a very small strainer unit, which seems to be for some type of tea, but certainly not for the humungous amount I made. We poured the tea to be strained in one of the measuring beakers to gain a steady flow out of it and then strained tea carefully to 7 cups. Two of these cups were Martian Kulhads (traditional unpainted and unglazed handle-less clay cups being used for over 5000 years in India and now being made on Mars using Martian clay). The breakfast was followed by Mission Clean Kitchen, in which all crew members participated. After all this is our home on Mars and sanitation is of high importance. We plan on vacuuming the upper and lower decks today. We also completed our daily human factors tests and reports for Arly and Andres. Even though the crew gulped lot more water and did cleaning sessions, we consumed only about 23 gallons of water. The crew did get used to Martian world by mid-mission.

The Greenhab Officer watered the plants and monitored their growth. She also harvested some beans and chives for the crew to feast upon after the sumptuous breakfast. On the 3D printing front, Megan got the rock hammer ready, and another hammer would be ready by the end of the mission for use in one of our upcoming EVAs. Adriana turned Science Dome into a rock party place by hammering some rocks. Kenneth, Megan, Arly, and Madelyn joined the procession. Megan, Arly, and Madelyn returned while Mason and I went to continue the rock party.

The crew led by Kenneth then solved some crossword puzzles. Teamwork was at display once again as was it during the EVAs or any other activity our crew has been a part of. Adriana took half of the crew to the science dome to perform a water cleaning session of her new geo-baby she named Petrie. The dinner for tonight was Chili, which was prepared by Megan and Madelyn. The crew is planning on watching a Bollywood movie (most likely half of it as it is slightly longer, and Kenneth wants to practice the dance steps from this movie). The crew also decided to play a card game called Monikers. We plan to sleep early, and part of the crew will head out to the first Search and Rescue operation.

Look Ahead Plan: First search and rescue test at the end of Gateway to Candor

Anomalies in work: None

Weather: Overcast, Winds Calm

Crew Physical Status: Good

EVA: None

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Operations Report, Journalist Report, EVA Request, Greenhab Report.

Support Requested: None

Copyright © The Mars Society. All rights reserved. | Main Site