Author: jburk

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Sol Summary – January 7th

Crew 186 Sol 7 Summary Report 07JAN2018

Sol 7

Summary Title:

Author’s name: Max Fagin

Mission Status: Back into our regular routine after our relaxing day off

Sol Activity Summary: Today was a follow-up EVA east of the Maxwell Montes area to try and get up close to the stratified cuts in the canyon wall that we found on EVA 3. The USGS topo maps that we had downloaded before our mission made navigation through the canyon possible, but still error-prone. We were not able to reach the stratified layer feature we had previously located, but we did locate another wall along the way in a side canyon with an equally good stratified structure and elected to conduct our sampling there instead of continuing on to the target site (which was still 0.5 miles away). As this canyon is just off the edge of the MDRS map and has no feature name, we have elected to informally name it after our college mascot, Boilermaker Canyon. See the EVA report for more details on navigation. Tonight we plan to make time for some astronomy and an early bedtime.

Look Ahead Plan: Tomorrow’s EVA will revisit the Moons region to target the sites we missed on the first visit to the region, then conduct a walk back experiment with the navigation equipment.

Anomalies in work: The commander experienced communication troubles on this EVA when a radio battery started giving a low voltage warning while en route to the site. By turning the radio off and only turning it on when communications were required, we were able to extend its life until we reached the EVA site. But it meant that the commander was required to always remain within easy reach of another crew member so instructions could be relayed to turn on their radio via hand gestures or simulated helmet contact. As the commander was responsible for navigation, the commander and engineer swapped radios on the way back and walked single file with the incommunicado radio in the 2nd position in line, ensuring the commander had good comm and could direct the navigation out of the canyon. HSO also experienced a loss of radio comms while walking back to the rovers, but this was traced back to the radio inadvertently being placed in scan mode. Communications were restored once this way corrected.

As this is now the second time an apparently fully charged radio has failed to hold charge on EVA, we are implementing a new policy on all our future EVAs that 2 fully charged spare radios will be put in the EVA box, and carried with the EVA team at all times, to be swapped in the event of a low radio battery. This was the most physically intensive EVA we had conducted so far, and we made use of the reserve water supply once we returned to the rovers, drinking it through a camelback to avoid breaking sim. See the EVA report for full details.

Weather: 5C, Wind NNE 9 MPH, Clear, Visibility 10 miles, Barometer 30.25 inHg

Crew Physical Status: Healthy

EVA: Muddy River Canyon east of Maxwell Montes, 5.0 hrs, spectral and geological sampling of the stratified layers in the canyon wall.

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

Support Requested: None

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Journalist Report – January 7th

Sol 7 – Back to the Grind

Today’s clear skies allowed the warm sun to erase any lingering Martian frost and set the stage for our most ambitious EVA yet. The vast canyon surveyed in EVA 3 was but a tantalizing preview of the wonders that lay below. We had to return.

A team of 4 led by our commander, Max Fagin, suited up and departed the airlock around 10:30 am, reaching the turn-off to the Maxwell Montes around 11:15. But instead of walking north along the canyon’s ridge as we had done previously, the team searched eastward for a safe passage into the canyon itself. They succeeded and soon found themselves immersed in a sprawling labyrinth of rocky channels. Invigorated by the thrill of discovery, the team pressed on, and after some wandering was able to locate the base of the enormous stratified walls identified in EVA 3. The team’s geologist, Cesare Guariniello, studied the crossbeded layers of sandstone and salt with a trained eye, but the wander through the maze of chasms had cost the team time. Before long it was time to head back. The EVA team returned at 3:30 pm, exhausted, but with smiles on their faces.

Nothing exciting is planned for this evening and I’m sure today’s EVA crew will appreciate the downtime. Last night we played our first few trial runs of the self-made cooperative Mars-themed card game which we have named “Mars Quest”. We plan to iterate on the rules slightly, as the game felt a little too easy. But the team still greatly enjoyed the experience.

Justin Mansell, MDRS Crew 186 Journalist

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GreenHab Report – January 7th

GreenHab Report
Mark Gee
07Jan2018

Environmental control:
Cooling with vent open

Heating

Shade cloth on

Working Hour: 05:45PM
Inside temp at working hour: 18 C
Outside temp during working hours: 2 C
Inside temperature high: 31 C
Inside temperature low: 15 C
Inside humidity: 24 %RH
Inside humidity high: 36 %RH
Inside humidity low: 16 %RH

Hours of supplemental light:
For the crops 05:00 to 11:59 PM

Changes to crops: Radish sprouts are growing quickly. Spinach survived transplanting.

Daily water usage for crops: 8 gallons

Time(s) of watering for crops: 09:30AM, 05:00PM

Research observations: The microgreens seem to have poor emergence relative to the microgreens in the crop section of the Greenhab. This could be attributed to the better environment in the crop section or the surface sterilization treatment the research seeds received.

Changes to research plants: None

Aquaponics: Not in use

Narrative: Not much happened today. The plants are slow and take time to grow. The old Green Hab used to have a “Zen Garden” to help crew members relax, but the current crop production system seems to be serving a similar purpose. Justin, the crew journalist, stopped by to enjoy the plants, warm air, and humidity. There is something about being surrounded by green that is reassuring, and the flowers on the crops are especially beautiful because they hold the promise of treasure not yet tasted.

Support/supplies needed: None.

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Astronomy Report – January 6th

(This is not a formal MDRS report, just a summary of astronomy activities for the first week that were performed with my personal 6” Newtonian that I’ve set up next to the dome. No use of the MDRS observatories has taken place yet.)

Name: Max Fagin

Crew: 186

date: 01JAN2018-04JAN2018

Sky Conditions: Hazy for the first few evenings, but cleared up on Thursday and Friday

Wind Conditions: Calm

Observation Start Time: N/A

Observation End Time: N/A

Summary: The only scheduled observing was an attempt to photograph the entire crew on a distant mesa in front of the rising supermoon, but there were clouds to the east that prevented it. I have managed to catch a few photos of the sun and moon (attached). Also included is a photo of the crew on new years night (before entering simulation) standing on a (much nearer) mesa and looking at the full moon. The sky cleared up 2 nights ago, but has now gone back to cloudy, will do more astrophotography as the schedule and weather permits.

Objects Viewed: Sun, moon, M42 (not imaged)

Problems Encountered: None

Attached images:

Crew 186 and Supermoon 01012018.jpg

Moonrise 01042018.jpg

Sun and Supermoon.jpg

Supermoon 01012018.jpg

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Greenhab Report – January 6th

GreenHab Report

Mark Gee

06Jan2018

Environmental control:

Heating

Shade cloth on

Working Hour: 05:40 PM
Inside temp at working hour: 20 C
Outside temp during working hours: -3 C
Inside temperature high: 22 C
Inside temperature low: 15 C
Inside humidity: 25 %RH

Inside humidity high: 32 %RH
Inside humidity low: 16 %RH

Hours of supplemental light:

For the crops 05:00 to 11:59 PM

Changes to crops: There have been two cloudy days in a row, so the crops did not require much water. Used all of the remaining tomato cages to support the larger tomato plants. Seeded several crops. Used the old seed to see what will grow. If there is no germination, newer seed packs will be used.

Below is an updated inventory of all of the crops, quantity, growth stage, actions taken, and notes.

Name

Quantity

Growth Stage

Action

Notes

Dill Weed

2ft row, ~40 plants

Seedling, 5 true leaves

Quick growing. Needs thinning.

Rosemary

2ft row, ~20 plants

Seedling, 1 true leaf

Slow growing.

Parsley

2ft row, ~50 plants

Seedling, 1 true leaf

Moderate growth. Needs thinning.

Cilantro

2ft row, ~40 plants

Seedling, 2 true leafs

Moderate growth

Oregano

2ft row, ~100 plants

Seedling, cotyledon

Spaced seedlings.

Slow growth.

Sage

2ft row, ~10 plants

Seedling, 1 true leaf

Moderate growth.

Basil

2ft row, ~40 plants

Seedling, 1 true leaf

Moderate growth. Needs thinning.

Thyme

2ft row, ~30 plants

Seedling, 2 true leafs

Slow growth.

Chives

2ft row, ~20 plants

Seedling, 1 leaf

Slow growth

Lavender

2ft row

Seeds, not emerged

Seeded plants.

Previous planting did not grow.

Spinach, Bloomsdale

3 pots, 16 plants.

Seedling, one true leaf.

Transplanted 06Jan2018

Spinach, Bloomsdale

4ft row

Seeds, not emerged

Planted

06Jan2018

Kale, Blue Curled Scotch

5 pots, ~50 plants

Seedling, one true leaf

Transplanted 06Jan2018

Cabbage, Golden Acre

1 seedling tray, ~20 plants

Seedlings, cotyledons

Need transplanting

Moringa Olifera

14 plots

Seeds, no emergence

These are trees. Should they be grown in the small Greenhab?

Paperwhites

3 pots, seven plants

Various, sprouted to flowering

Smell fragrant

Beans, Pole

27 plants

3ft vines, producing flowers and pods

Harvest at end of rotation.

Cucumber

23 plants, 7 pots

3ft vines, producing flowers and fruit

Melon

8 plants

2ft vines, no flowers

Slow growth.

Peppers

9 pots, 23 plants

8 inches, vegetative

Slow growth

Tomatoes

39 pots, 57 plants

6in-48in tall, some flowering

Transplanted 05Jan2018

Do we need this many tomato plants?

Radish

1 pot, three plants

Vegetative, 1ft tall

Radish sprouts

6 sq ft

Seedling, cotyledons

Planted 04Jan2018

Seedlings should be harvested around 17Jan2018.

Swiss Chard

1 starter container

Seeds, no emergence

Planted 06Jan2018

Scallions

5 starter containers

Seeds, no emergence

Planted 06Jan2018

Onion

8 starter containers

Seeds, no emergence

Planted 06Jan2018

Broccoli

1 starter container

Seeds, no emergence

Planted 06Jan2018

Carrot

6 starter containers,

4 pots

Seeds, no emergence

Planted 06Jan2018

Lettuce, Romaine

1 starter container,

1 ft row

Seeds, no emergence

Planted 06Jan2018

Lettuce, Red Leaf

1 starter container,

1 ft row

Seeds, no emergence

Planted 06Jan2018

Lettuce, Black Seeded Simpson

2 starter containers,

1 ft row

Seeds, no emergence

Planted 06Jan2018

Lettuce, sprouts misc.

2 sq ft

Seeds, no emergence

Planted 06Jan2018

Lettuce, Bibb

1 sq ft

Seeds, no emergence

Planted 06Jan2018

Mustard

1 pot

Seeds, no emergence

Planted 06Jan2018

Quinoa, Red Sprouting

2 sq ft

Seeds, no emergence

Planted 06Jan2018

Zennia

1 pot

Seeds, no emergence

Planted 06Jan2018

Arugula

2 starter containers,

2 ft row

Seeds, no emergence

Planted 04Jan2018

Daily water usage for crops: 5 gallons

Time(s) of watering for crops: 05:30PM

Research observations: Sprayed moringa experiment with moringa extract as directed. Microgreen sprouts are growing well.

Changes to research plants: None.

Aquaponics: Not in use.

Narrative: The larger tomato plants were starting to lean over, so I used all of the cages available to support as many plants as possible. The rest of the tomatoes will need cages soon, as will the vining cucumbers. The cucumber plants have already started climbing the shade cloth and lighting cables in their quest to take over.

To maximize the efficiency of the Green Hab, it is important to select crops that are suited to greenhouse production and to space out plantings of crops to ensure steady yields. For future Green Hab officers, I would recommend against planting things like melons that can require up to 75 sq ft per plant and have a 10 ft long tap root that is not easily accommodated in a pot. The 50+ tomato plants seem to have been planted at the same time, which means that they will start yielding at the same time. Hopefully the crew on rotation can freeze some tomato sauce for future crews to use.

To bring more crop variety to the Green Hab, I planted carrots, onions, broccoli, scallion, three varieties of lettuce, Swiss chard, arugula, quinoa, and mustard. These were the seeds available, but many are also fast growing crops that have high yields in a greenhouse environment. I used the oldest seed packets, and will replant with newer seed if nothing grows. If future officers continue plantings every two weeks, then there should be a bountiful and regular harvest for every crew.

Support/supplies needed: 50 more tomato cages will be needed to support all of the tomatoes and cucumbers currently growing in the greenhouse. All of the cages we have are in use.

Posted on

Sol Summary – January 6th





Crew 186 Sol 6 Summary Report 06JAN2018

Sol 6

Summary Title: The Shared Mythos of Mars

Author’s name: Max Fagin

Mission Status: Enjoying our first day of light duty and the chance to catch up on our individual work.

Sol Activity Summary: As grad students, soon to be grad students or recently escaped grad students, one of our greatest pleasures is to sleep in. And today we did just that, in celebration of reaching the midpoint of our 13 sol mission. We woke on our own schedule, and enjoyed a brunch of scrambled eggs and french toast. We recommend a new standing policy be implemented on Mars missions: AHTBMR, aka, “Always Have The Bread Maker Running”.

A passing comment about Game of Thrones (which GreenHab officer Mark Gee had finished reading that morning) became an engaging discussion about authorial intent and the discernment of canon in fictional universes, over the course of 2 hours spanned such topics as the Star Wars Holiday Special, Ender’s Game, the Bible, and literary theorist Roland Barthes’ essay “Death of the Author”. In the course of the discussion, I was reminded of a remarkable question that only future Mars colonization will answer: How will future Martians view our current stories about Mars and the people who live there? Will characters like John Carter, Sax Russell, Rebecca Sherman, Mark Watney and Bobbie Draper become modern myths to the new Martians? The exploration of Mars is the first instance of humans building a culture on top of a preexisting shared mythology in fiction. Will future Martians adopt that existing mythology as their own, or will they decide to make unto themselves a new one?

We spent the rest of day relaxing around the hab, tending to our own experiments in the science dome and in GreenHab, and driving the NorCal Mars Society Rover around the hab (the rover was confronted by a 4 legged alien that retreated as soon as the rover advanced towards them. Photo of it is in the journalist report, awaiting identification). After sunset, sleet started to fall, and we settled in for a nice dinner and game night, featuring a custom card game designed for our mission by our Crew Journalist, Justin Mansell. The rules of “Mars Quest” are coming in a separate email if you want to follow along at home!

Look Ahead Plan: The sleet has made the ground icy around the hab, and even though the weather for tomorrow is forecasted to be clear, we won’t do an EVA if the ground is icy. But if conditions permit, we plan to revisit the region North East of Maxwell Montes that we visited on EVA 3, as we believe we have found a walking route on the topo maps that would allow us to enter the mouth of the canyon from the south, and access the stratified layers we could previously only photograph from the canyon’s west rim.

Anomalies in work: None (generator and water consumption issues believed to be resolved).

Weather: 2C, light sleet, overcast

Crew Physical Status: Healthy

EVA: None.

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

Support Requested: None

Posted on

Journalist Report – January 6th

[Sol 6] [Astronaut’s Day Off]

Today was a cold and gloomy day. Even if this wasn’t our day off, I reckon that the crew would have been less than enthusiastic about any EVAs. But the weather has been a perfect excuse for a slow day around the hab.

Our commander, Max Fagin, allowed the crew to sleep in past the usual wake-up time of 7:30 am. Instead of an early breakfast, he cooked us a brunch of French toast and scrambled eggs. The crew was skeptical of the powdered and freeze-dried eggs at first, but warmed up to the taste after a few bites.

Members of the team have since spent the day tending to odds and ends for our various experiments. A sprinkling of tenuous Martian snow dusted the landscape in the late afternoon and has served to make the metallic bulkheads and thick pressure doors of our habitat feel almost cozy. Tonight our executive officer, Kshitij Mall, will treat the crew to a dinner of noodles and fish. Afterwards the crew will relax over a cooperative Mars-themed card game written by myself during today’s free time.

All in all, though the day has been slow, it is a welcome break before we continue with our second EVA to the distant Maxwell Montes tomorrow.

Justin Mansell, MDRS Crew 186 Journalist

Posted on

Operations Report – January 5th

Crew 186 Operations Report 05JAN2018

SOL:05

Name of person filing report: M. Grande

Non-nominal systems: Generator power system

Notes on non-nominal systems: Generator has failed a couple times at start-up (today and yesterday) and reads “under speed” or “under voltage”. I think this might be the cold, as I continue to charge the batteries all day (or all night). The generator will run on the new 9/17 battery tonight, which was charging all day, but it took 4 attempts to start it.

Generator

(hours run): 15.8h

Battery

switched from old (10/17) to new (9/17) at 8:45am

Generator

turned off, charging battery at 12:30pm

Generator

turned on at 6:00pm

Solar—

SOC

@

8:45am : 68%

@

12:30pm : 100%

@

6:00pm : 65%

Diesel:

55%

Propane:

34%

Ethanol

Free Gasoline (5 Gallon containers for ATV): 8.65 Gallons

Water

(trailer): 10 Gallons

Water

(static): 318 Gallons

Trailer

to Static Pump used: No

Water

(loft) – Static to Loft Pump used: Yes

Water

Meter: 129097.7 Gallons

Toilet

tank emptied: No

ATVs

Used: 350.2

Oil

Added? No

ATV

Fuel Used: 0.1 Gallons

#

Hours the ATVs were used today: 00:40 hours

Notes

on ATVs: ATVs were nominal.

Deimos

rover used: No

Hours:

97.4

Beginning

charge: 100%

Ending

charge:

Currently

charging: Yes

Sojourner

rover used: Assigned to director only.

Hours:

Director discretional hours

Beginning

charge:

Ending

charge:

Currently

charging: Maybe

Spirit

rover used: Yes

Hours:

9.3

Beginning

charge: 100%

Ending

charge: 87%

Currently

charging: No

Opportunity

rover used: Yes

Hours:

4.9

Beginning

charge: 100%

Ending

charge: 66%

Currently

charging: Yes

Curiosity

rover used: No

Hours:

3.1

Beginning

charge: 100%

Ending

charge:

Currently

charging: No

HabCar

used and why, where? No

General notes and comments: No EVA for me today, but I served as HabCom running the airlock depressurization/ repressurization cycles, writing down times, and sending Morse Code transmissions to our NAV, Justin, through his homemade Yagi antenna. It was my intent to hop on the stationary bike left by Crew 184 and get some exercise, but instead I spent most of the day writing up some reports and scripts for my virtual reality (VR) experiment… and enjoying some fresh, warm herb bread made in the bread maker by GEO Cesare! Yum!

Summary of internet: All nominal

Summary of suits and radios: All nominal

Summary of Hab operations: All nominal

Summary of GreenHab operations: All nominal

Summary of ScienceDome operations: All nominal

Summary of RAM operations: Not Operational

Summary of health and safety issues: Crew is Healthy

Questions, concerns and requests to Mission Support: None

Regards,

Melanie Grande, Crew 186 Engineer

Posted on

Journalist Report – January 5th

[Sol 5]

Temperatures have plummeted and the night left a thin dusting of frost that lingered in the shadows throughout the day. Last night the team planned one of our most complex EVAs yet. One that would require the maximum compliment of 5 crewmembers on EVA at once. The goal: locate elusive hematite “blueberries” (named for their rounded shape and color) that could indicate the presence of liquid surface water in the distant Martian past.

The convoy travelled south to revisit areas explored on EVA #2. This time the team focused our search around a possible ancient stream bed. But alas, the search was unsuccessful. Still, the EVA traversed a variety of terrain and allowed all members of the EVA to gain experience identifying the different geologic formations. Back at the hab, our health and safety officer, Sam Albert, has begun cataloguing microbial samples from around the hab to better understand the microbial environment.

I am also happy to report that last night’s pizza was a hit, if not only due to Cesare’s magic touch that saved the dough. The crew was able to fit in some astronomical observations of the double Martian moonrise before relaxing over a television show. Tomorrow we will continue these leisure activities and have dedicated the day to relaxation to mark the halfway point of our mission.

Justin Mansell, MDRS Crew 186 Journalist

P.S. Photos attached. Photo of the day: 05Jan2018 Building a microbe catalogue.jpg

Posted on

Science Report – January 5th

Science: Geology

EVA #5 revisited the location to the East of Greenstone Rd, in search of the elusive hematite-coated “blueberries”. Unfortunately, though spectra showed traces of hematite mixed with clay, no spherules were located. Nonetheless, the long EVA was satisfactory since it went through a variety of terrains, including stream beds, dunes, and various layers of sandstone and conglomerate formations. On the way back, the crew stopped at the Kissing Camel Ridge, where -among the sandstone and mudstone layers of the Morrison formation- the crew found boulders collapsed from the Dakota sandstone and conglomerates that top the Morrison formation.

Cesare Guariniello, PhD

 

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