Category: Journalist Report

Rocks Rock
Sol 4 began with fritters and cereal. It was tenuous as to whether we’d be able to proceed with planned EVAs due to weather, but luckily the rain subsided and the ground remained roverable.
The sky was still overcast, and with the hab’s solar panels struggling we were instructed to conserve energy – which meant a switch to gas. Later in the evening this spawned a discussion regarding the role(s) of hydrogen on Mars. Water will be electrolysed for oxygen, which as a byproduct will also produce hydrogen – this hydrogen will likely be reacted with exhaled carbon dioxide to form methane, for use as rocket fuel (or perhaps other things)… but what else could hydrogen potentially power on Mars as it becomes a more prevalent fuel source on Earth? Assuming that any early human population on Mars will need to continue obtaining at least some of their oxygen from electrolysis, in addition to various other methods currently employed aboard the ISS (or ideally photosynthesis), what will become of any excess hydrogen once those humans have enough methane? Commandrew says it gets vented. I say (with zero expertise on the matter) that they double down on Mars’ ice supplies and turn it into a green (in multiple ways) hydrogen utopia. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable than me can reach out for my edification.
ANYWAY, the EVAs. This morning’s EVA took three of our crew out to Kissing Camels Ridge to look for calcium carbonates – which once reacted with various acids would serve as a source of carbon dioxide on Mars, which in turn could be reacted with hydrogen to generate methane (see hydrogen rant above). The team found some good deposits and sent back coordinates. It’s been too cold so far to reach the gypsum deposit approximately 4km north of the MDRS (the rovers’ batteries deplete too quickly in the cold), but multiple members of the crew would benefit from gypsum samples and so we’ll launch an EVA to that site if that becomes possible. Today I learned that gypsum is a hydrate material that when processed via heat or other techniques can yield water (literal water from rocks!). For the geologists in the room, this is all pretty ordinary fare, but for myself (with a biology background) it’s fascinating.
The afternoon’s EVA set out to Cowboy Corner. It was supposed to extend further, to the area north-west of Tharsis Montes, but Opportunity hit the 55% power threshold and the team was forced to disembark… where we discovered an adjacent ‘target-rich’ site anyway. This site was stunning, with the geomorphology of the long-dried stream-bed proving spectacular against the rocky mounds (“hills”?) and distant mesas. Steve was able to get several gigabytes of spectrophotometer data, from multiple types of material.
Highlights of the day: Steve’s taste in music, EVAs being greenlit, incredible geomorphology (like the stream-bed) near Cowboy Corner, Commandrew’s minerology lessons.
Lowlights of the day: More extraterrestrials (this time we also observed a symbiotic quadrupedal species).

– Alexander Tobal, Crew 291.

Journalist Report

Nicole Chan, Crew 290 Journalist

01.19.2024

Sol 12

The morning started with whisking noises in the kitchen outside our rooms. The crew began to get ready one by one, curious about what’s cooking. Turns out Ben (Funk) is making dalgona coffee by whisking instant coffee with water and sugar to make a layer of foam on top of the traditional cup of coffee. With some ice, the drink felt like such a delicacy after being on Mars for two weeks. The crew all enjoyed this special treat coupled with new apple and cinnamon pancakes made by Anja (Freebee). What a great way to start the day!

Today was our last full day at MDRS and also the day we will be “breaking sim.” The crew looked forward to hiking the hills around the station without the weight of the spacesuit. So, in the afternoon, the crew, along with REMI, headed out to the surrounding area to take in the sights and the fresh air. It was great to be able to see the station and the red-striped hills without having a layer of helmet in front of our faces. Suffice to say that it was a long-awaited break from our usual Martian routine. As the sun sets, the crew gathers in the upper Hab to contemplate dinner plans and assign station checkout tasks. Since we’re scheduled to leave the station around 1000 tomorrow, most of the checkout and packing tasks will need to be completed before the end of Sol 12.

Currently, Freebee is cooking up our last dinner on Mars with a variety of entrees including some red-sauce pasta with a side of leftover chicken pot pie from last night. Our recent evening conversations have centered around the kinds of Earth food we have been missing the most, with fresh fruit being the most popular by far. (So we were excited to have a taste of Funk’s harvest of tomatoes from the GreenHab today. It exceeded our expectations!) As we get to work tonight, we reminisce about our time here on Mars, from the first time setting foot in the station to the first time suiting up for EVAs. We’re all so grateful to be here and have learned a lot about what it takes to be a Martian during the past two weeks.

Photo of the Day: 290-01_19_2024 enjoying the walk.jpg

A rocky start
So begin the chronicles of Crew 291: the largest Australian cohort ever deployed to the MDRS, comprising Andrew Wheeler (commander), Steve Hobbs, Rob Hunt, Clare Fletcher, Scott Dorrington, and Alexander Tobal.
We arrived at the MDRS the night of Saturday 20 Jan 2024 – believing ourselves late, but actually a day early. This was a nice surprise for us but a lousy one for Sergii at Mission Control, who nevertheless came out to show us around the habitat and to our quarters. It’s fair to say that the facility exceeded expectations, with its domed, utilitarian architecture immediately immersing us in a Martian mindset. Andrew, aka “Commandrew”, demonstrated his humility and nobility of leadership by sacrificing the commander’s room (with its own porthole!) to a certain crew journalist.
Having arrived in darkness, the Martian terrain had hitherto been shrouded from us. However, dawn revealed the true spectacle of our surrounds: a vast, primordial, alien landscape of ruddy plains and slopes, set against monolithic cliffs, ridges and plateaus featuring spectacular strata and defining the horizon in every direction. Stones and boulders of every shape, size and colour littered the ground, or jutted from larger formations to give them otherworldly silhouettes. The rock nerds in our crew (that is to say, all of us now) were fascinated by the surreal geomorphology and spent our first morning taking photographs.
On Sunday the 21st we began our induction. Sergii led us through comms and EVA procedures, including a demonstration of the station’s impressive EVA suits. This was followed on the morning of Monday the 22nd by rover training. We spent some additional time climbing Hab Ridge and exploring the enormous plain beyond (and its sea of interesting fossils and minerals), bordered to the west by the imposing Skyline Rim.
This was our last chance to do so as carefree visitors… because from exactly 12:00 hours local time on the 22nd, we were ‘in sim’ – i.e., under conditions intended to simulate the lived experience of being on Mars. No contact with the outside world, barring a two-hour comms window from 19:00-21:00. No excursions from the habitat without appropriate EVA gear and a 5-minute stint in the airlock (upon both exit and entry). It was time to look, think and act like Martians.
Our EVAs began almost immediately with a pair of back-to-back, three-person, ninety-minute EVA training excursions. Both teams followed similar routes to nearby ‘Marble Ritual’, in rovers and on foot, to test suit ergonomics and comms (and to further explore and document the terrain). Barring a few minor technical hiccups, primarily in regards to our comms equipment, these excursions went smoothly and successfully.
These technical successes are not what the crew will remember from our first EVAs however. Rather, we will remember the sheer adventure of it all – the sense of childlike glee that overcame even the most stoic and professional members of the crew as, for ninety minutes apiece, we fulfilled our dreams of becoming Martians.
The final revelation of the day was something far less expected – that dehydrated fruit (i.e., strawberries and blueberries, NOT rehydrated) would become our biggest vice. That stuff is mana.
Highlights of the day: EVAs (and rover roving fun), fossil-spotting on Hab Ridge, dehydrated fruit, Scotty’s ‘meteor-wrong’ pun, Steve’s spectrometer worked flawlessly, general awe.
Lowlights of the day: Spider removal, Rob’s hilltop dancing, emptying the toilet holding tank, jetlag, an unnamed crewmember’s glasses now belong to Mars.
Sol 2 awaits.
– Alexander Tobal, Crew 291

Journalist Report

Nicole Chan, Crew 290 Journalist

01.15.2024

Sol 8

Today we got back into our normal routine. With an EVA planned this afternoon, the crew started the day with some slices of bread from yesterday. We all remarked that it was a bit more moist than previous iterations, making the bread softer and nicer to eat. With some raspberry jam and peanut butter, the crew had a wonderful breakfast and got to work. Rebecca (Chopper) began transferring knowledge of the pH meter from yesterday’s ScienceDome session. Madelyn (Melon) used the time to check geological guides for suitable sampling sites around the region of Kissing Camel Ridge, the destination of today’s EVA.

The crew suited up around 1200 and went on a rover ride to the Ridge. We all had fun donning our new and improved flight suits with our Project MADMEN mission patches! (It was a great bonding activity and yet another first for me which was super exciting.) They noted plenty of worthy sites to sample on the way there, so they made notes to CAPCOM, which is managed by Anna (Roots). Many pictures of hills with multicolored layers of deposits followed. As they settled on a site, the EVA crew, Melon, Anja (Freebee), and Ben (Funk), began the multi-step site processing. Melon and Funk focused on collecting soil samples and taking various measurements at the site (pH, temperature, ATP, etc.). Freebee collected more radar samples of interesting terrain with REMI. After returning to the Hab, Chopper went to the ScienceDome to process those samples to keep the data consistent.

Today also saw the continuation of Roots’ study of the crew’s glove dexterity. We were tasked with grabbing and changing our hold on various small objects (washers, nuts, caps, and screws) with and without gloves. Additionally, we also tied and untied a series of knots. It was a fun challenge and we’re all glad to participate in the study for Roots. The most impressive factor is that she had developed the protocols for this study (as well as the materials to carry out the tests) all during our rotation. Talk about resourcefulness! We look forward to the results from this dexterity study. Our frustrations during the tests also informed us of possible changes to our EVA equipment and gear to make the manual manipulation more efficient.

We all enjoy getting back into the groove of things at the station. Although our days are busy and sometimes tiring, we work productively and wind down in team-bonding activities at night. Speaking of, we had a great time learning more about each other during last night’s powerpoint presentations. We covered a span of topics and had many laughs. I look forward to more of these night time conversations as we come closer together as a crew.

Photo of the Day: 290-01_15_2024 science rocks.JPG

Nicole Chan <nicolec081204>
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Journalist Report

Nicole Chan, Crew 290 Journalist

01.16.2024

Sol 9

A bit of a later start to the workday today as the crew got up one by one. We had interesting conversations while Ben (Funk) and Anja (Freebee) took turns making chocolate chips and blueberries pancakes. With our EVA #9 scheduled for 1230, Madelyn (Melon) briefed the EVA crew, which included Rebecca (Chopper), Freebee, and myself (PODO), on the geological sites of interest that we should be targeting today. We soon began to suit up and head out to the airlock for depressurization.

We headed off in our rovers to the area before Kissing Camel Ridge, where there are hills displaying layers of multi-color deposits. Our goal was to get a sample that will contain that color gradient. Chopper and I scouted out multiple sites at the foot of the hill with this gradient of white, green, then deep red soil. I took plenty of pictures of the surrounding areas as we explored for post-EVA analysis and debrief. Since we budgeted extra time for the EVA, we took our time weighing our options before selecting the best site. Similar to yesterday, we began taking temperature, salinity, ATP measurements and collected some soil for loading onto microfluidic devices. This took up most of the EVA time while Freebee led REMI through various terrains and collected more ground-penetrating radar data. When we reconvened at the rovers to perform the pH measurements, Freebee joined our efforts and it was great synergy. We headed back to the Hab on time and shared our findings with the rest of the crew. Overall, we had a pretty good time in the field today, woohoo!

The sol’s work continued! Freebee, Chopper and I headed to the ScienceDome to perform the daily pH measurements of the soil samples in different reagents and to process the microfluidic devices from today’s sample collection. Although it sounds like a lot of work, the crew always make time to advance the MADMEN science objectives. We make it fun too, with music playing in the background and fun chatter as we watch the Martian sunset. Time passes quickly when we settle into a routine, which can be said about our mission as well. As we are planning out our last few EVAs on Mars, we plan to maximize our time here at the station. Concurrently, we are also making plans for our first day back on Earth, where we’ll be celebrating our collective endeavors on Mars and bidding our farewells. I’m sure it’ll be a bittersweet goodbye when the time comes.

Photo of the Day: 290-01_16_2024 awesome views on the drive.JPG

Journalist Report

Nicole Chan, Crew 290 Journalist

01.17.2024

Sol 10

Today took a pretty unexpected turn. The crew had originally scheduled an EVA at 1000 to Skyline Rim for Madelyn (Melon), Ben (Funk), and Anna (Roots) to visit the site and collect soil samples to further our Project MADMEN science goals. A few hours before, Melon and Anja (Freebee) watched the weather forecast closely and started noticing snow and thick clouds on the horizon. After consulting with mission support, Melon decided to watch the weather up until 0945 before making the final decision of whether to go ahead with the EVA or not. We were worried that unfavorable weather conditions would have a more significant impact on the walking EVA. As the gray clouds rolled in and the generator turned off in the daytime, our Hab went into low power mode to conserve energy. In the end, due to low visibility at the planned EVA destination, our commander decided that it was unsafe to perform the EVA and postponed it for Sol 11.

With a sudden open gap in our schedule, Freebee offered the idea that we should play Fishbowl. Similar to Charades, the game had several rounds of guessing certain words in teams, where we’re allowed to verbally describe the phrase, then limit our hints to a single word, and lastly only use our body language. As the rounds went on, the teams found creative ways to speed through each word, which generated lots of laughs amongst the crew. Team 1, which included Melon, Freebee, and Funk, won the game. Freebee, our leading social activities planner in the crew, suggested that we cool down and relax with some yoga. To this, the crew cleared the upper Hab area to create a makeshift yoga studio (moved the furniture to the side to create a large central area). We relaxed our muscles in different stretches and yoga poses, noticing that we felt more centered afterwards. The yoga session soon turned into a workout routine led by Anna (Roots) which required outstanding flexibility and got us feeling more active. We even started to take turns doing handstands, trust falls, and cheerleading routines. We all had a great time sharing stories and moving our bodies in interesting ways. Before we knew it, it was time for lunch. It was a tasty leftover from last night’s taco bowls. (I couldn’t stop myself from getting seconds!)

Some of our crew (Rebecca aka Chopper, Freebee, and Roots) then headed to the ScienceDome to perform the routine pH measurements of the soil samples in different reagents. With so many different measurements, the crew also began inputting the data onto a spreadsheet for post-mission analysis. We’ll be finishing up the daily measurements in the next few days and hopefully collect samples from another interesting site before the mission ends. As Funk is cooking up some Jambalaya for dinner, the ScienceDome crew begins to head back for our nightly family dinner. To wrap up the day, we look forward to another stargazing session on such a clear night.

Photo of the Day: 290-01_17_2024 fishbowl.jpg

Journalist Report

Nicole Chan, Crew 290 Journalist

01.18.2024

Sol 11

The Sol began with sunny and clear skies, which was a great sign to carry out EVA 11 which had been postponed from yesterday. With the smell of cinnamon rolls warming up in the oven, the crew got ready for the day around the dining table. Madelyn (Melon) sat down with the crew to go over the EVA logistics before Anja (Freebee), Ben (Funk), and Anna (Roots) began to suit up. After strapping in REMI at the back of the rover, the crew headed out to the region around White Rock Canyon and Aonia Terra. The goal is to perform a final sample collection for MADMEN goals while REMI explores the new terrain at Aonia Terra. Melon served as CAPCOM and gave the crew support in the site search and targeting process.

Learning from previous EVAs, the crew brought a hammer and chisel to handle the harder rock terrain that was expected. These tools came in handy and saved the crew a lot of trouble when collecting the subsurface samples at three- and six-inches depth. From the CAPCOM interactions, it sounded like the preliminary field tests produced results that correspond to the geological studies that Melon had talked about in the EVA briefing. The crew took many awesome photos of the site and had fun scaling the hills as they scouted the area. It seems like a running theme on our mission so far: no matter how tiring EVAs are or how much work we have to do, we do what is needed to stay on schedule and have fun at the same time. I often found myself inspired by the crew’s ingenuity and perseverance to find solutions whenever unexpected issues arose.

In the late afternoon, the crew, led by Rebecca (Chopper) worked on imaging the incubated soil samples and measuring their pH. We planned to maximize the science output we can get before leaving for Earth on Sol 13. With our last soil sample collection completed today, we’ll be spending today and tomorrow checking for changes in the samples’ pH measurements. There have already been some interesting things happening in the microfluidic devices captured under the microscope!
Photo of the Day: 290-01_18_2024 martian explorers.jpeg

Journalist Report

Nicole Chan, Crew 290 Journalist

01.14.2024

Sol 7

The crew all enjoyed the slow morning today on our rest day. In preparation for today, while the crew had brainstormed some ways to relax and bond, they have also outlined some science tasks including some imaging, pH measurements and processing the soil samples through the microfluidic devices. So, after getting a very tasty breakfast of crepes with Nutella and peanut butter. Speaking of these sweet condiments, they (especially the Nutella) have been the go-to snack of many crew members, which has been driving down our stock. Currently, we are at half a jar of Nutella. At a few members’ dismay, our pantry monitor (self-assigned) Ben (aka Funk) will be enforcing a ration so that our crew won’t be “at each other’s throats” in the next few Sols when we run out of our staple source of sugar (and in my opinion, instant happiness). If anyone’s curious, our most sought after commodity (and the strongest instigator amongst the group) is the packets of Welch’s fruit snacks/gummies (Berries N’ Cherries flavor). I’m sure at times when it matters, the crew will be able to remain civilized and sort it out like the scientists that we are.

As the afternoon rolls around (along with the clouds on this sunny day of 12 degrees Celsius), the crew will be heading back to the Hab soon from the ScienceDome to get some lunch. Our lunch today was some delicious vegetable fried rice with some curry chicken seasoned with the cilantro that was harvested yester-sol by Funk. I personally look forward to having that meal again as leftovers. We set off to work around 1500 with Rebecca (Chopper) and myself (PODO) heading off to the ScienceDome to complete the daily pH measurements. We found new workarounds for the new pH meter and will develop new measurement procedures for the EVA crew to get more consistent readings in the field tomorrow. It was a productive day of science for sure.

The crew reconvened in the Hab for an evening of personal time and winding down for the night. Chopper and I returned to find Madelyn (Melon) and Anna (Roots) doing some sort of experiment. Roots explained that it’s part of her glove dexterity research and that it’ll be our turn to be tested in the next few days. I can’t wait to contribute some data.

We had an additional task tonight! Anja (Freebee) suggested that our evening activity be sharing personal stories through powerpoint talks, so we’re all preparing our own stories to share over the Funfetti cake that we made yesterday. With an EVA planned tomorrow, we’re ready to get back to work.

Photo of the Day: 290-01_14_2024 we’re getting tested.JPG

Journalist Report

Nicole Chan, Crew 290 Journalist

01.13.2024

Sol 6

Our crew awoke feeling rested for the long day ahead. We have two target sample selection sites for today’s EVA #7, to be led by Rebecca (Chopper), Ben (Funk), Anna (Roots), and myself (PODO). But before that, we need to prepare solutions to test the pH of the soil samples in the field. So, the crew went off to the ScienceDome to begin preparations. Madelyn (Melon) reviewed geological notes of the Candor Chasma region to give the EVA crew an idea of what a viable sample collection site could look like. Meanwhile, Chopper led Anja (Freebee) on loading the microfluidic devices with the samples from Sol 4. We found more pH meters! As Funk and I calibrated them, we realized that their functionality will make them suitable for the field, which made today’s EVA data even more fruitful.

After a lunch of pasta, the EVA crew suited up and drove the rovers to Candor Chasma. The road was bumpy but made for a fun (but also safe) ride. Upon reaching the area around Compass Rock, the crew decided to disembark and start searching for viable sites. We were looking for strips of darker red soil layered by white layers which denote gypsum deposits (where there could be signs of life!). After selecting a site, we got to work taking temperature, ATP, and pH measurements of the soil. We also took soil samples to see if there are any signs of microbial life too. As the clouds were rolling in and it was nearing sunset, we stepped up our measurements at our second site as well before heading back to the Hab. We returned on time and got to share our findings with the rest of the crew.

The crew has also put their heads together to flesh out the science protocols for processing these samples to best maintain consistency and get statistically significant results (with limited chemical supplies as well). We found great workarounds that still maintain the fidelity of our tests so we’ll be busying ourselves with those measurements and imaging in the coming days. Tomorrow, however, will be our rest day. After an Earth week of getting situated and gathering samples, it’s a well-deserved break for all of us. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s report to see what kind of fun things we’ll get up to!

Photo of the Day: pHenomenalogy studies.JPG

Journalist Report

Nicole Chan, Crew 290 Journalist

01.10.2024

Sol 3

At the end of Sol 2, we successfully carried out our callsign ceremony, officially naming Melon (Madelyn), Chopper (Rebecca), Freebee (Anja), Funk (Ben), Roots (Anna), and PODO (Nicole). After two busy Sols of onboarding and settling into our rotation, the crew was granted a later start in their work day. We all awoke from a great night of sleep to the smell of coffee and bread, courtesy of Anja (Freebee) testing out the bread machine before bed. The sun was already out and shining through our Hab windows and made for a pleasant start to Sol 3. The crew seized the day and went straight to work after a breakfast of pancakes from Freebee (stepping up her cooking for sure). With chocolate chips and plenty of condiments (peanut butter and Nutella), it was a unanimously amazing meal and brings back great memories of having similar pancakes on Earth.

In preparation for EVA 4, Freebee worked on troubleshooting any issues with REMI and was successful in the setup. Ben (Funk) and Anna (Roots) were performing soil salinity tests in the GreenHab while Rebecca (Chopper) continued setting up the ScienceDome for the sample collection EVA and Madelyn (Melon) evaluated the area’s geology for future EVA sites. Our lunch was a nostalgic PB&J sandwich with Freebee’s homemade bread. Though dense, the bread had a mild sweetness to it and gave us the energy to continue with our Sol 3 objectives. Shortly after, EVA 4 crew, which consisted of Freebee, Funk, and myself (Podo), began suiting up and headed out to the Hab’s surrounding area with REMI. It was a very productive and successful EVA! REMI roamed around several geological points of interest and collected radar data while Funk and Podo identified viable sample collection sites and proceeded with temperature and salinity tests of the soil alongside sample collection. Funk settled into a routine where he was responsible for digging at the sites while I took pictures of the site as well as the measurements of the soil sample depth. The shovel we had on hand took a toll as Funk was determined to collect samples on the surface in smectite, at 3 inches deep in clay, and at 6 inches deep into shale at the site. The physical demand of the task was well worth the scientific output of the samples. We are all excited to see what we will find through the soil tests. With Melon on CAPCOM, we made plenty of field notes that will aid in our analysis.

After returning from the EVA, Funk headed over to the GreenHab to mist the precious plant babies and performed valuable knowledge transfer with Crew 289’s GreenHab officer Riya to understand how to better support the plant growth. In addition, the plants had a more diverse music therapy today so hopefully they feel loved and cared for by our crew. Chopper was hard at work in the ScienceDome at the laminar fume hood to set up microfluidic device tests to process the soil samples from EVA 4. Dinner is served by Funk tonight and smells amazing as I am writing this report. It will be Hearty Chicken and Potatoes with a side of mixed vegetables and a sour cream dill sauce (from our dill harvest yester-sol). We cannot wait to dig in and look ahead at the rest of this week’s EVAs and review science objectives together. The science experiments are all set up and as Chopper introduces the crew to the testing protocol, we look forward to making awesome findings in the coming days.

Photo of the Day: 290-01_10_2024 eva 4 begins