Category: Science Report

Crew 214 Science Report 31 October 2019
SOL: 4
Crew 214 – Expedition Boomerang Crew
Submitted by Science Officer Andrew Wheeler

Science Operations: The second of the scientific EVAs was scheduled for the morning work period. This involved driving to site #2 at Tank Wash and establishing a 100 square metre (100 1m x 1m plots) on a relatively undisturbed natural surface. During the 2 hour EVA, the outline of the grid was established and three east-west delineators positioned. The task is incomplete.

A secondary experiment involved testing the magnetism of material brought to the surface at an adjacent anthill. Though it was hypothesized that this material might contaminate the sample plots; there was zero evidence of magnetic material at the surface.

A tertiary experiment was conducted at the Cactus Road #1 site before the return to the hab. With line of sight communication possible, a heliograph was used to demonstrate an emergency communications method should voice contact fail. The demonstration was successful and video records collected.

Tabulation of the baseline food stock macro and micronutrients for the waste study was completed.

Closed Loop Food Waste Study: The day’s waste for Sol 4 is: 229 grams; consisting of 891calories, 15g fat, 9g saturated fat, 1533mg sodium, 126g carbohydrates, 8g fibre, 4g sugar, 42g protein. Waste was significantly larger due to bread production errors. Otherwise, less waste is generally produced at breakfast, with almost all occurring at lunch or dinner, depending on the type of food cooked. The majority is preparation waste with no spoilage waste to date and a small amount of plate waste.

Additional Activities: Reinforcing the coverings for the tunnels continued throughout the day as time became available.

Crew 214 Science Report 30 October 2019
SOL: 3
Crew 214 – Expedition Boomerang Crew
Submitted by Science Officer Andrew Wheeler
Science Operations: The first of the scientific EVAs was scheduled for the afternoon work period. This involved a 2 hour traverse in the rovers to Tank Wash and south of the Galileo and Cactus Road junctions. At both these locations, relatively flat relatively undisturbed areas were identified and GPS surveyed and photographed so that a 10 square metre grid could be deployed from which samples targeting mircometeorites would be collected.
In preparation for the sampling, during the morning work period, the Science Dome’s large open area was utilized to construct the 1m x 1m grid square boundaries in readiness for deployment.
Concurrent with the preparations for micrometeorite samplings and EVA, tabulation of the baseline food stock macro and micronutrients was undertaken for the waste study.
Closed Loop Food Waste Study: The day’s waste for Sol 3 is: 89 grams; consisting of 293 calories, 1g fat, >1g saturated fat, 555mg sodium, 65g carbohydrates, 6g fibre, 31g sugar, 10g protein.
Additional Activities: Reinforcing of the coverings for the tunnels was undertaken throughout the day as time became available.

Crew 214 Science Report 29 October 2019
SOL: 2
Crew 214 – Expedition Boomerang Crew
Submitted by Science Officer Andrew Wheeler

Science Operations: Weather conditions prevented EV activities during the morning, so all crew underwent instruction in donning and doffing both the exploration and two piece suits. In the afternoon, EVAs were approved and two short training activities were carried out. All crew have now become familiar with the operation of both types of suits, hab egress and ingress, operations with rovers and mobility on the surface.

Closed Loop Food Waste Study: The day’s waste for Sol 2 is: 89 grams; consisting of 339 calories, 10g fat, 5g saturated fat, 1619mg sodium, 56g carbohydrates, 3g fibre, 10g sugar, 5g protein.

Crew 214 Science Report 27-Oct-2019

Submitted by Science Officer Andrew Wheeler

1. EVA Suit Maintenance: The hab has been set up following arrival. All backpacks have been plugged in and fully charged. Helmets are clean and contained in their cloth bags except for one helmet, for which, the cloth bag is missing. Radios have been tested and are fully charged. Communication earpieces remain to be tested for faulty performance.

2. Green Hab: The green hab has been activated and is awaiting water and additional soil base before sowing of this seasons crops.

3. Astronomy Dome Operations: No astronomical observations have been planned for this crew rotation.

4. Science Dome Operations: The Science Dome has been activated and is awaiting EVAs for sample acquisition and sample testing.

5. RAM Operations: The RAM Dome has been activated and is ready for contingencies.

6. EVA: No preparations or activities have been undertaken to date. The access routes have been identified to allow sample locations to be identified.

7. Closed Loop Food Waste Study: This study has been initiated and is ongoing. Day’s waste: 79g; consisting of 323 calories, 10g fat, 5g saturated fat, 1179mg sodium, 52g carbohydrates, 7g fibre, 6g sugar, 7g protein.

8. Additional activities: Nil

Crew 212-LATAM-III

Submitted by Spacesuit Engineer: Camilo Andrés Zorro Mendoza

Spacesuit report

Sol: 11

Sim suit used Engineering EVA: 7, 8, 5 and 4.
used for 1 hour and half

Sim suit: 7
Voltage level before EVA: 12.8 V
Voltage level after EVA: 12.5 V

Sim suit: 4
Voltage level before EVA: 13.1 V
Voltage level after EVA: 12.6 V

Sim suit: 5
Voltage level before EVA: 12.6 V
Voltage level after EVA: 5.6 V (it will be changed)

Sim suit: 8
Voltage level before EVA: 13 V
Voltage level after EVA: 12.8 V

Crew 212-LATAM-III

Submitted by Spacesuit Engineer: Camilo Andrés Zorro Mendoza

Spacesuit report

Sol: 10

Sim suit used in EVA: 9 and 3.
used for 2 hour

Sim suit: 9
Voltage level before EVA: 12.8 V
Voltage level after EVA: 12.6 V

Sim suit: 3
Voltage level before EVA: 13.2 V
Voltage level after EVA: 12.9 V

General commentaries

– I am running a discharging test for the extra batteries. Until this moment, one battery had gone bad.

Crew 212-LATAM-III

Submitted by Spacesuit Engineer: Camilo Andrés Zorro Mendoza

Spacesuit report

Sol: 8

Sim suit used EVA: 1, 8, 3 and 5.
used for 2 and 1/2 hour

Sim suit: 1
Voltage level before EVA: 12.8 V
Voltage level after EVA: 12.7 V

Sim suit: 8
Voltage level before EVA: 12.8 V
Voltage level after EVA: 4.1 V

Sim suit: 3
Voltage level before EVA: 13 V
Voltage level after EVA: 12.8 V

Sim suit: 5
Voltage level before EVA: 13.2 V
Voltage level after EVA: 7.6 V

General commentaries

It is need get 10 new batteries for the radios. It was getting fake charge. 4 radios with good battery

Crew 212-LATAM-III

Submitted by Spacesuit Engineer: Camilo Andrés Zorro Mendoza

Spacesuit report

Sol: 6

Sim suit used: 3 and 5.
used for 1 hour

Sim suit: 3
Voltage level before EVA: 13.6 V
Voltage level after EVA: 12.9 V

Sim suit: 5
Voltage level before EVA: 13. V
Voltage level after EVA: 12.8 V

General commentaries

The batteries of radios are not working properly. In the following days, I will give you a detail report on the number of batteries that should be changed.

Crew 212-LATAM-III

Submitted by Spacesuit Engineer: Camilo Andrés Zorro Mendoza

Spacesuit report

Sol: 5

Sim suit used for first EVA: 7, 4 and 10.
used for 1 hour

Sim suit: 4
Voltage level before EVA: 12.6 V
Voltage level after EVA: 8.4 V

Sim suit: 7
Voltage level before EVA: 13.1 V
Voltage level after EVA: 12.7 V

Sim suit: 10
Voltage level before EVA: 13.1 V
Voltage level after EVA: 12.9 V

Sim suit used for second EVA: 3, 5, 8 and 9.
used for 1 1/2 hours

Sim suit: 3
Voltage level before EVA: 13.4 V
Voltage level after EVA: 12.8 V

Sim suit: 5
Voltage level before EVA: 13.4 V
Voltage level after EVA: 12.8 V

Sim suit: 8
Voltage level before EVA: 13.5 V
Voltage level after EVA: 12.3 V

Sim suit: 9
Voltage level before EVA: 13.3 V
Voltage level after EVA: 12.8 V

General comments:
– It seems that the battery of sim suit 4 is draining the battery very fast.
– The battery recharger was found. I will proceed to charge the extra batteries and see if any of them have gone bad

Crew 212 – LATAM III

Submitted by GreenHab Officer Hector Palomeque

1. Solar Observation/Astrophotography/Stellar Clusters:

• The eyepiece of MUSK Telescope was successfully assembled.

• First picture of the sun with MUSK Solar Telescope (a bit cloudy).

• Deep Sky Robotic Telescope still observing a star cluster (interrupted due to the bad weather).

2. X-5:

• The first flight of 2 on 3 drones in a Martian environment was performed during today’s EVA (SOL 4).

• Manual light off and landing did for checking that Drones are working correctly.

• Drones operation with space suit was tested.

• Waiting for the weather forecast to schedule and perform the next experiment (photos of the MDRS Hab and other areas).

3. VESTA:

• One flight of the Drone-Multicopter were performed around MDRS Hab during today’s EVA (SOL 4)

• Interesting points around MDRS Hab selected.

• Drone successfully connected to the computer for planning an automatic mission.

4. Observation Rover:

• Linux system correctly launched and running in a crew’s Laptop.

• Still needing to download the script from UK for uploading it into the Raspberry Pi Rover board.

5. Space Farming:

• Red-Clay collected for preparing a mix for Martian-like regolith.

• Broken-Autoclave used for boiling in order to disinfect/sterilize the material as much as possible (without problem nor danger).

• Broth culture media for selected Chernobyl and Fukushima bacteria successfully prepared and sterilized (no contamination detected in negative control after 24 hours).

• Chernobyl and Fukushima bacteria correctly inoculated in Nutrient Broth.

• Chernobyl and Fukushima bacteria already showing sights of growth.

6. Keep Talking:

• Crewmembers getting a better performance during the game. Some teams already have reached the Difficult Level.

• The fourth day of playing (corresponding for each SOL).

7. Ethnography study:

• Audio-recordings with the information collected during the observations of the Crew 212 behave already sent to the Colombian Aerospace Research and Develop Group (Colombia).

8. Pulse Oximeter Measurement:

• No update to report.

9. Software for macroscopic characterization:

• Nutrient Agar in Petri dishes prepared using the Broken-Autoclave (all correct).

• MDRS soil bacteria cultivated in Nutrient Agar.

• Waiting for bacterial growth (24 hours).

• EVA scheduled for collecting rhizospheric soil of MDRS plants.