Category: Sol Summary

Crew 203 Sol Summary Report 20-Jan-2019

Sol: 8

Summary Title: Puzzle

Author’s name: Oscar Ojeda

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary: Today we partly let some leisure activities take some of our time. Resting is important to keep the creativity up…! Although we are physically a bit tired, our mood is still up. We had a bean lunch, cooked as traditionally as possible with what’s available. After lunch, I gave the crew members some letters from their families I had brought with me from Earth, there was a lot of emotion and happiness. We spent the afternoon listening to some music, solving a puzzle, talking, and also preparing some reports. We’ll have dinner and then we’ll try to watch the eclipse, if clouds have mercy on us.

Look Ahead Plan: We’ll have a week full of EVAs, as well as the first results from the projects.

Anomalies in work: None

Weather: Partly cloudy skies, cirrus and cirrostratus.

Crew Physical Status: In good health.

EVA: none

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

Support Requested: None, Unless you can take away the clouds from above us.

Crew 203 Sol Summary Report 19-Jan-2019

Sol: 7

Summary Title: Lost in space

Author’s name: Oscar Ojeda

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary: The day started with some exercise from 4 crewmembers. We then went to the upper deck and had breakfast, and then a team of 4 prepared for their EVA. They went to Tank Wash to perform more geology and microbiology. They returned to the hab to a cup of hot chocolate, rested a bit, and started to work on their respective reports. We plan to have another night talking about our plans for the future.

Look Ahead Plan: having passed the first half of our rotation, we expect to start to finalize each project. We’ve made plans for the food of the rest of the rotation, and are planning to spend the night watching a movie.

Anomalies in work: None

Weather: Clear skies all day long, very sunny. Moderate presence of cirrus.

Crew Physical Status: In good health. With some headaches

EVA: 1, a team of 4 went to Tank Wash for scientific survey.

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

Support Requested: None

Crew 203 Sol Summary Report 18-Jan-2019

Sol: 6

Summary Title: “For here are we sitting in a Tin Can”

Author’s name: Oscar Ojeda

Mission Status: Nominal, with an anomalous functioning of the diesel generator during the night.

Sol Activity Summary: It was a late start of the day. As if we had agreed on it, all the crew went up at almost exactly the same time. Last night we had an anomaly with the diesel generator which forced us to enter low consumption mode, and to start the morning in the same way. We had our breakfast, then each one was headed for their respective zone, it’s curious how now everyone has their own spot they can feel as their own. We had a tropical lunch based on coconut and pineapple, and kept working on keeping the station and projects. The sunset brought everyone back to the hab, we shared freshly baked oatmeal cookies, and are headed to a pizza once the capcom window is closed. (how curious, the narrative line was all about food)

Look Ahead Plan: We’re close to the middle of our mission, we want to keep working on each project, and to do some more EVAs.

Anomalies in work: We went on low consumption mode during the night and morning due to a malfunction of the diesel generator.

Weather: Clear skies all day long, with moderate winds.

Crew Physical Status: In good health, although tiredness is starting to catch up.

EVA: None

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

Support Requested: None

Crew 203 Sol Summary Report 17-Jan-2019

Sol: 5

Summary Title: Magnificent Desolation

Author’s name: Oscar Ojeda

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary: We entered the second quarter of our mission, a time where routine kicks in (if there is such a thing as routine on Mars). Everyone seemed a little bit tired this morning, but nothing some food and a conversation couldn’t fix. Everyone reviewed their respective projects and systems, had lunch, and then the EVA team started to prepare for our afternoon on the beautiful plains of Mars. The work was amazing, a lot of geology was done, a little sightseeing too. Sometimes inside the hab it’s easy to forget how beautiful Mars is. We were received by some delicious eggs and Tang, talked about the future, and now we’re waiting for another night of laughter, fun, and some sleep. The thought of just having heard the team voices for a few days now just came to our minds, and it’s somehow mindblowing.

Look Ahead Plan: Keep the hard work going…! the nice food being prepared…! the laughter and the bonding…! and make it so that this is just the first step in a long way to go…!

Anomalies in work: None

Weather: Cloudy in the morning (Cumulus), with the presence of Nimbostratus, but no precipitation, near the sunset it was less cloudy. Low to no wind in the morning, in the late afternoon wind speed increased.

Crew Physical Status: In good health…! (and with a cool attitude)

EVA: 1, a team of 4 went to the Kissing Camel ridge (yay, about time)

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

Support Requested: None, unless you can send us an autonomous robot that does the chores and takes away the mud 🙂

Crew 203 Sol Summary Report 16-Jan-2019

Sol: 4

Summary Title: White Mars, Red Mars, muddy Mars

Author’s name: Oscar Ojeda

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary: I’m starting a routine of a morning complete inspection of the facilities; this lets me plan the day better. We woke up to a layer of snow outside the Hab, after breakfast, and a small workout session of three crewmembers, we proceeded to remove the snow from the Hab areas covered by it.

After that, each crewmember started working on their respective projects, getting everything ready for an exciting rest of mission filled with science, and probably also a little bit of fun. We had a vegetarian lunch, a nod to our XO, and kept working. We’ve still had time to laugh and bond.

A light dinner and an early sleep will close the day, and be the preamble for what’s to come.

Look Ahead Plan: Science is looking good. Specific and realistic goals for each project have been set. We’ll have our first scientific EVA.

Anomalies in work: None

Weather: Very cloudy in the morning (Stratocumulus), Stratos in the afternoon, and cirrus in the early evening, with a sunny sunset. No snow nor precipitations, and low to no wind.

Crew Physical Status: In good health…! (and well fed)

EVA: none

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

Support Requested: If you can adjust the settings for time to pass slower so we can stay on Mars forever, it would be awesome…!

[end]

Crew 203 Sol Summary Report 15-Jan-2019

Sol: 3

Summary Title: Changua

Author’s name: Oscar Ojeda

Mission Status: Nominal (and relaxing)

Sol Activity Summary: It was a wonderful morning, with some of the fresh cilantro from the greenhab, and also doing our best with the dehydrated ingredients, we prepared a traditional breakfast from Bogotá, Changua. Afterwards, we had a conversation with director Shannon about yesterday’s EVA, and after she departed we started to work in our respective projects. The day was calm and relaxing, we were able to keep in each other’s company while working, sharing, talking, laughing, and realizing that going to Mars is not about regolith, screws, and dehydrated food, it is about learning to be human.

Look Ahead Plan: Tomorrow we will continue the work inside the habitat, in preparation for the expected first science EVA on Sol 5. We are also getting a lot of new ideas about what should we cook, and on some outreach material…!

Anomalies in work: None

Weather: Very cloudy (Stratocumulus), with low intensity snow in the early afternoon, getting heavier towards the evening.

Crew Physical Status: In good health…!

EVA: none

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Operations Report, Greenhab Report, Journalist Report.

Support Requested: Send lots of hugs and good vives…! ~[°-°]~

Sol: 2

Summary Title: Settling in

Author’s name: Oscar Ojeda

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary: We’re getting comfortable in the station, we woke up, shared breakfast and talked about some details on the activity we would have today. Time flew as we had 2 EVAs scheduled, the first group left, made an exploration of the region close to campus, and returned to a hot lunch. Afterwards, the second EVA group left and repeated a similar exploration to group 1, consisting mainly of an on-suit performance assessment, and sample collection. The rest of the day was used to keep the station and rest a little.

Look Ahead Plan: Tomorrow the science begins…! the crew will stay at the hab to begin the work on the research, with some of the samples that were taken today.

Anomalies in work: None

Weather: Mostly cloudy (Cumulus), partially sunny at the afternoon. Temperature similar to yesterday.

Crew Physical Status: In good health, however, we’ve had 3 crewmembers with "more-than-normal" sneezing.

EVA: 2, Space suit performance asessment, and sample collection.

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Operations Report, Greenhab Report, Journalist Report, EVA Report, Mission Plan, HSO Report.

Support Requested: We don’t have much salt left in the kitchen.

Crew 203 Sol Summary Report 13-Jan-2019

Sol: 1

Summary Title: Country Roads, take me home…

Author’s name: Oscar Ojeda

Mission Status: Nominal, Starting simulation tonight.

Sol Activity Summary: We woke up at 7, along with the departing Purdue crew (Boiler up guys…!). We had our pictures taken, did a small change of command "ceremony", and then departed to a dinosaur walk, guided by director Shannon. We waved goodbye as the crew departed, and then started organizing groceries and rooms.

Today we finished the water runs, and should be ready for the entire length of the mission. We started our training with Atila, being it the first time it’s done in Spanish. We also were able to share breakfast and lunch, which I was able to cook (I love cooking on Mars). Finally, our remote astronomer did an amazing observation of M31, which we will share.

Look Ahead Plan: Tomorrow crew 203 will send the Mission Plan, along with the initial HSO report, and biographies with official pictures. We will start our EVA plans with the first runs and to get to know better our routines within the station, planning to start later on our research projects.

Anomalies in work: None

Weather: Sunny and warm, low to no wind, disperse clouds.

Crew Physical Status: In good health

EVA: none

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

Support Requested: None

[end]

Crew 202 Sol Summary Report 12-Jan-2019

Sol: 14

Summary Title: Back on Earth

Author’s name: Cesare Guariniello and Oscar Ojeda

Mission Status: Nominal, the crew is back on Earth and met crew 203!

Sol Activity Summary: After breakfast, the crew began cleaning the habitat and the other facilities and got ready to meet crew 203. We had a short excursion with the Program Director and after dinner crew 203 is shadowing crew 202 for report training.

After a long trip, crew 203 was finally reunited in Grand Junction, had an amazing trip all the way to the station, and were warmly welcomed by crew 202. We joined the excursion and had our last dinner on Earth as we prepare for our mission

Look Ahead Plan: Tomorrow crew 202 will leave campus and crew 203 will receive field training

Anomalies in work: None

Weather: Sunny and warmer

Crew Physical Status: In great health

EVA: none

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

Support Requested: None

Crew 202 Sol Summary Report 11-Jan-2019

Sol: 13

Summary Title: I see Earth

Author’s name: Cesare Guariniello

Mission Status: Nominal, end of mission and ready to get back to Earth and outside of the habitat tomorrow

Sol Activity Summary: the crew started the day with some good stretching and a last, short EVA within walking distance from the habitat. In the afternoon, we began cleaning the various facilities, packing, and getting ready for our reentry, descent, and landing.

Look Ahead Plan: Tomorrow the crew will open the airlock and leave the habitat, back on Earth and ready to welcome crew 203

Anomalies in work: None

Weather: Partly Cloudy

Crew Physical Status: In good health

EVA: The Executive Officer, Crew Journalist, Crew Engineer, and Crew Geologist went on EVA on the ridges west of the habitat

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Operations Report, Greenhab Report, EVA report, Astronomy Report, Journalist Report, Final Science and Outreach Report, Mission Summary

Support Requested: None