Crew 306 EVA Report 29-12-2024
EVA # 08
Author: Elizabeth Howard
Purpose of EVA: The first purpose of this EVA was to perform flight tests on DRONE for Crew Journalist Rodrigo Schmitt’s research. Additionally, Crew Geologist Elizabeth Howard took EMF meter readings from Eos Chasma, and a sample was taken from the base of the chasma to bring back to Crew Commander Jesus Meza.
Start time: 10:00 AM
End time: 14:32 PM
Narrative: After heading towards the chasma following the same route that yesterday’s EVA team took, the EVA crew eventually stopped at a flat enough area for flight testing the DRONE system. Here, the Drone/Li-DAR was flight tested twice by Crew Journalist Rodrigo Schmitt and Crew Engineer Keegan Chavez. During this time, Crew Geologist Elizabeth Howard found a location to leave the EMF meter, allowing it to log data for several hours while the crew carried on with the EVA. Along the way to the base of the chasma, the EVA crew stopped at two more locations to flight test the DRONE, flying it for one and two tests respectively. The chasma base proved difficult to reach due to the depth of the (currently dried up) riverbed, which cuts back and forth across the terrain, adding switchbacks to the distance that had to be traveled the closer the crew got to the base. However, the EVA crew was able to get to the base of Eos Chasma to collect a sample for Crew Commander Jesus Meza before heading back. Crew Health and Safety Officer Ryan Villarreal acted as CAPCOM.
Destination: Eos Chasma
Coordinates (use UTM WGS 84): 521750E, 4256000N
Participants: Rodrigo Schmitt, Keegan Chavez, Elizabeth Howard
Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map: From MDRS, the crew drove north up Cow Dung Road to coordinates (518250, 4253750). The rovers were parked there along the side of the road. EVA crew then walked east along the creek bed that feeds into the entrance of Eos Chasma at (519500, 4254000). They walked along the inside of the canyon, reaching the base of the chasma (521750, 4256000) and taking a sample before heading back along the same route
Mode of travel: Driving and walking