Category: Commander Report

Crew 218 Commander Report 01-01-2020

Sol 10 – Welcome, 2020

In the middle of our last week at MDRS, and after our New Year’s Eve celebration, we woke up at 8.30 for another productive day. After breakfast, an EVA in very cold and cloudy weather reached for the first time in this mission a location distant from the main road, with a good ride and field work off Galileo Rd. Unfortunately, cold weather also means slow battery recharge. The second EVA planned for the day could not therefore use the rovers, and the two research projects associated with it were performed in the vicinity of the habitat, after an engineering EVA. Work is proceeding well, though the commander felt the need for a good nap before working on reports.

Cesare Guariniello, Commander

Crew 218 Commander Report – 31-12-2019

Sol 9 – End of Earth year 2019

While we are preparing our feast to celebrate the last day of Earth year 2019, we are reviewing what was a good last day.

Finally, the Sun has been shining all day long and even if the snow did not completely melt, at least the EVAs in sub-freezing temperatures were much more pleasant than the past ones. In the afternoon, we started popping a few New Year wishes from Central Europe.

Due to pipes still being frozen, we had another chain of water upstairs, so as to be able to take some nice showers!

Now waiting for some guests from the nearby habitat to celebrate together.

Goodnight and Happy New Year!!

Cesare Guariniello, Commander Crew 218

Crew 218 Commander Report – 30-12-2019

Sol 8 – Out on white Mars

Today we had a long and productive day. Our dishes piling up because of frozen pipes, we opted for a quick smoothie for breakfast before delving into EVA activity. Luz Ma and Shefali had our first all-women EVA, destination Galileo Road, and they surveyed the situation of the roads for us. Luz Ma took weather observations while Shefali could participate in person in her project of evaluation of EVA and EMU suits. Once they came back, we completed a team activity to use an auxiliary pump, a hose, and various pots to transfer water from our large static tank to the loft tank, that is the source of water for our kitchen, washroom, and toilet. The second EVA, with me, Pat and Ben, took a longer route and brought us to the intersection with Brahe Hwy. All three of us collected valuable data for our projects. When we re-entered, we were welcome by fresh, warm rosemary bread which I had started before EVA egress. Reinforced by the various adversities we faced together, we are on a steep learning curve to become better Martians inside and outside the habitat!

Crew 218 Commander Report 29-12-2019

Sol 7 – Half-way

We are in sol 7 of 13, reaching half-way through our mission. The day was extremely cold, all the pipes froze, and we have not been able to pump water up in the habitat, so we are working (really well) with rationed water. I began recording my biometrics for one of the research projects. Finally, three of us managed to get outside in a short EVA to continue two research projects. The landscape is as amazing as ever, and white is giving way to a great Martian red. The afternoon was spent between research and preparation of samosa, and the crew keeps getting the best of all the situations. Mood is great and we are ready to spend some more time outside.

Crew 218 Commander Report 28-12-2019

Sol 6 – What day is it?

This morning we finally woke up to some sunlight. Despite cold temperatures and a few hours of fight with the clouds, the sun began melting some of the snow. At times it is hard to figure out what day it is, since we are isolated from most that happens on Earth. In the meanwhile, we continued our indoor activities with some video projects after stretching and breakfast. In the afternoon, we swept the icy snow from the tunnels between the buildings, and we managed to do some observations at the solar observatory. No features, but with the help of the crew astronomer some of the team members could observe the sun both with an eyepiece and with the CCD camera. We are hoping that snow will melt enough to give us time for one or two short EVAs at a later time tomorrow. Sun and cookies sure help with the mission!

Cesare Guariniello, Commander

Crew 218 Commander Report 27-12-2019

Sol 5 – What would a Martian do?
The forecast we received from mission support yesterday proved correct and when we woke up, we could see snow coming down again and covering (this time with a smaller thickness) the terrain that was beginning to show up. Since this means at least one or two more days without EVAs, I called a meeting with the crew after breakfast, to ask ourselves the question "what would a Martian do?". In particular, we all know we are here to do something valuable, besides the obvious chance of studying ourselves in these conditions of isolation Knowing that many of our research projects are based on outdoor activities, we discussed our goals for the next couple of days. In the meanwhile, we waited for the pipes to thaw in order to be able to pump more water inside the habitat, which finally we were able to do in the early afternoon. For our extra goals, we had various proposals that I and other crew members brought up: GreenHab projects, outreach, and use of the solar observatory and science dome were talked about. We began with a simple task that occupied less for about one hour in the GreenHab (more details in other reports), and we discussed a larger project that will be proposed to the program director; we decided that we will produce descriptive and training videos of our life at MDRS; and we will wait for the Sun to finally reappear for some good astronomical observation. I think this was a good opportunity to figure out how to react, with our limited resources, to unexpected situations.

Cesare Guariniello, Commander

Crew 218 Commander Report 26-12-2019

Sol 4 – Boxed Day

In what is Boxing Day on Earth, we feel a little “boxed” or “caged”. Still too much snow on the ground and a foggy and cloudy weather kept us indoor again. Most of our projects are based on EVAs and outdoor observations and data or sample collection, which leaves us with plenty of spare time while waiting until we will finally have appropriate conditions to don our space suits and venture outside. We now therefore have mixed feelings: a very Martian-like situation that gives us a personal challenge and the chance for self-evaluation for what concerns our capability of spending time inside the habitat, and at the same time a little concern and sadness for all the research projects we are eager to perform (with much hope that the weather will improve soon). Overall, though, I am extremely pleased with the crew’s attitude towards this disruption. Though we are all putting up weight because a little boredom brings us often towards snacks and food, we are having a balanced mix of work, crew time and team activities, and personal time, and the morale is still high and full of hope! On a final note, yesterday we had a movie night and the crew selected (without any push from their commander) the favorite movie of Purdue Fencing Club, of which I have been a member since 2011: The Princess Bride!

Cesare, Commander

Crew 218 Commander Report 25-12-2019

ChristMars!

Merry Christmas, Earth. This is my first Christmas at MDRS, and it has been quite an emotional day. Still stuck inside because of a 4 inches thick blanket of snow, we made the best of our day. Christmas is by far my favorite holiday and my favorite time of the year. I like the idea of warmth, love, and togetherness. Therefore, I would lie if I said that I did not miss my family and friends. But this is part of the experience and the hardness of simulation. Here at MDRS we woke up a little later than usual and, while having breakfast, I treated the crew to a couple of surprises: first, a little Christmas gift under our tiny trees. Second, a lot of Christmas cards from all over the world, that nice Earthlings sent in response to a call I posted on social media for cards for our crew. The crew and I rejoiced at the nice thoughts by so many people! After breakfast we swept our tunnels from snow, then while working on completing a Mars puzzle and on the few parts of research that do not require EVAs, we prepared a festive lunch that we shared with visitors from the adjacent habitats. Great time together, followed again by social activities and personal time. I miss good old Earth, but I strongly believe in what we are doing here, and I know that the thoughts of many people are with us. See you all when we will be back, and Merry Christmas again.

Cesare Guariniello, Commander

Happy holidays to all people on old good Earth!

This year I am having a brand new experience here at MDRS. We had heavy snow precipitation today. Snow is not a first for me here on the polar cap of Mars, but the amount is something that I have never seen, and that caused us to be stuck in the habitat. This is a great new experience, getting to see the crew at a more relaxed pace after waking up a little later, to the notes of the song “Vienna”, picked by Ben. Following a Gemini, Apollo, and Space Shuttle tradition, still going on onboard the ISS, I use the crew’s favorite songs as a wake-up call!

After beginning the day with yoga and a pancake-based breakfast (yes, dehydrated eggs and milk worked perfectly), I introduced the crew to the geology of MDRS, and then we had a relaxed time building a puzzle and beginning a research project.

Meanwhile, the snow became to fall on our campus, and the hearts are warmed by a white Christmas which we will have here in isolation, far from our friends and families, but proud to be part of the endeavor to support the exploration of Mars.

A nice day awaits us tomorrow. Ad Astra.

Cesare Guariniello, Commander

In sim, finally!! This morning, after a few crew photos, we entered simulation. This does not mean that we are “playing pretend” or just enjoying a nice hab in the desert. This means that we are now performing research that we know will enhance and support human exploration of Mars. This means that we are testing and challenging ourselves into keeping isolation, following operational procedures, living in close quarters, and thinking like a Martian. As of today, we are all analog astronaut.

The crew was extremely excited today at performing our first EVAs, including all the difficulties of climbing in the rovers and driving around with all the limitations of the space suits. The feeling is amazing, though. I cannot believe I am here again and I feel so comfortable donning my air pack and helmet once again. Marble Ritual makes us follow a tradition, and I am glad to be part of it and to see my crewmates following it too. Walking over this red, white, brown clay soil inflames the imagination and many times I found myself stopping, looking at the desert landscape and imagining to be on some red remote planet.

Simulation is not only EVA, though, and after coming back and preparing mushroom risotto for the crew, I went around the building checking operations and facilities, before deciding to use my spare time with a short nap, while the rest of the crew was enjoying a well-deserved break after tough days of training.

The news tonight is that we will have precipitation that will make our EVAs impractical, but it also means that we will have a white Christmas, which makes me feel closer to our friends and families on Earth.

Cesare

Commander, MDRS 218