MDRS Supplemental Operations Report 4-NOV-2019
Name of person filing report: Shannon Rupert
Reason for Report: Briefing on Work Party held at MDRS from Oct 22-25, 2019
Non-nominal systems: n/a
Action taken for non-nominal systems: n/a
Generator check, note if oil and coolant added: n/a
ScienceDome AC unit, on and operational: Needs refrigerant, but otherwise is ready to go. Will contact provider.
Solar— Ran nominally and without generator backup throughout the work party
Diesel Reading – % not checked
Propane Reading – 40 % (since then it has been refilled)
Ethanol Free Gasoline – n/a gallons.
Water (director’s tank) – n/a gallons
Water (static tank) – n/a gallons. Static tank was cleaned during
the work party.
Water (GreenHab) – n/a gallons
Water (loft) – This tank still needs to be cleaned and will be cleaned during the crew changeover from Crew 214 to 215. We also need to replace the current hose with a 4-6 foot RV hose (to be ordered)
Static to Loft Pump used – yes
Water Meter: n/a
Toilet tank emptied: yes. We also filled and emptied the tank three times to flush it after the summer break.
Deimos rover used: Still not operational. We are in the process of getting a trailer to take it for repairs.
Hours:
Beginning charge:
Ending charge:
Currently charging:
Sojourner rover used: Yes, brought back to MDRS from town. Operation nominal.
Hours:
Beginning charge:
Ending charge:
Currently charging:
Spirit rover used: Yes, brought back to MDRS from town. Operation nominal
Hours:
Beginning charge:
Ending charge:
Currently charging:
Opportunity rover used: Yes, brought back to MDRS from town.
Operation nominal, however brakes are weak to not working. We will change the brake fluid and bleed the brakes again (3rd time), if this does not work we will need to take it for repairs.
Hours:
Beginning charge:
Ending charge:
Currently charging:
Curiosity rover used: Yes, brought back to MDRS from town. Operation nominal.
Hours:
Beginning charge:
Ending charge:
Currently charging:
Notes and action taken on rovers: Rovers need their names redone. I’m thinking about painting them instead of using stickers again.
Monthly check and fill of rover batteries (first workday of the month)
Batteries were filled with 20 gallons of distilled water this summer.
They will need to be rechecked soon.
ATV’s Used: (Honda, 300, 350.1, 350.2, 350.3). Yes, moved to their place by the Outpost for the season. The 300 was in town, and still is, as it will not start. We will need to go to town and tow it back here. One of the 350’s would not start so we need to troubleshoot
that.
Reason for use: see above
Oil Added? No, all were fine.
ATV Fuel Used: 5 Gals
# Hours the ATVs were Used: not recorded
Notes and action taken on ATVs: see above
HabCar running? If used, why, where? Yes, but needed to be jumped when we first got here. Used to haul water.
CrewCar running, If used why, where? Yes, used to transport crew and supplies back and forth to town and Grand Junction. A sensor went out, and one of the volunteers was able to replace it. The check engine light is still on though, as they could not get it to turn off by disconnecting the battery.
Campus wide inspection, if action taken, what and why? Vegetation was removed from around the Hab.
Evidence of rodents, where and action taken: Hab and both trailers showed signs of rodent (packrat) occupation. Two packrats were relocated to Cowboy Corner, one from the intern trailer, the other from the Hab.
Summary of internet: Hab and Astronomy accounts nominal but business account isn’t working. Suspect router damage. There is supposed to be a technician here today (although they were scheduled for last week, so I’m not going to hold my breath).
Summary of suits and radios: Suits were delivered by NorCal on October 25 and they are in beautiful shape. The prototype suit has been fitted with a video camera and will be used for Mars VR work. This gives us 6 two piece suits, which are located on new cabinets in
the EVA room and 4 one piece suits, which are located on the lower deck in the main room. One of the two piece suits has been fitted with a 3D printed neck ring, which is about 1/3 the weight of the traditional neck rings. NorCal is interested in seeing how it holds
up. The two piece suits have also been fitted with new fans, with adjustable air flow. The fans are new in the one piece suits as well, but not adjustable.
Radios were not checked during the work party, but Crew 214 has found them to be in poor shape. Once internet is restored we will get an accounting of them and order what we need.
Summary of Hab operations: The front porch was repaired. The static water tank was cleaned. The wall heater downstairs was removed. The lower deck was refitted with IKEA cabinetry. While not the cubbies for the suits we were hoping for, it fills the lower deck and is
functional. They also gave us a new bench for the bathroom. The painting did not get done before the installation so that will happen during the May work party. The upper deck received a completely new kitchen. The stove was not installed as it was electric. We will go
pick up a new gas stove from IKEA when they get it. The countertop, which is quartz, was measured and ordered and should arrive soon. A new two basin sink was installed on the temporary counter and new plumbing was installed, so both cold and hot water are running and there is no more leak in the drain. The kitchen also has a new microwave and refrigerator and it several feet longer than the old one. In addition, the upper deck has new chairs for the table and two new chairs that replaced the loungers. Unfortunately the two leather
chairs are not functional as loungers so we will be replacing them with some kind of lounger that fits in the new space. We will try to use the old loveseat pieces but the parts for those were disposed of during the refit, so we may not be able to do so. Lights, chargers and
additional mattresses were put into the staterooms. The old blue mattresses were removed. Water heater still needs to be removed and replaced with a new unit. Some new kitchen ware was ordered as some was deemed no longer in good enough condition for use.
Summary of director’s house operations: Nothing to report.
Summary of GreenHab operations: IKEA refitted the GreenHab with some cabinets and a couple of new benches and gave us some planters. The benches need to be coated with a water seal and the cabinets are metal, so care must be taken not to corrode them. I will make up a diagram of the new space soon.
Summary of ScienceDome operations: Nothing was done in the ScienceDome. We attempted to put in the center island, but parts were missing (it was nice to know that even IKEA can have missing parts!) so this refit is on hold until the May work party. A new heating/ac
units was mounted on the power wall over the summer, but is still not fully operational. It was installed to cool the batteries in summer, but can also be used as a heater if needed.
Summary of RAM operations: Nothing to report. David is working on a plan to fix the low amp breakers than trip with the rovers.
Summary of any observatory issues: Nothing to report. Peter needed David and Atila’s help to calibrate the focus on the robotic scope but all is well now.
Summary of health and safety issues: Fire extinguishers need their annual inspection
List and summary of projects: see above. Also, the new intern trailer was moved into a space next to mine in August. We are working to get all systems functional on the trailer before the bad weather hits. Water system has required small repairs and the propane will be
installed this Thursday. The best thing about this trailer (other than it is a four season trailer) is that its solar system also has an inverter so it is currently operating under it’s own generated power. This was a surprise for me as my solar only operates the 12V system
and not the 110 power. I may have to move! Just kidding.
Questions, concerns, supplies needed and requests: We need some general replacement supplies and I will be ordering them soon. We currently have the flatbed trailer loaded with materials needing to go to the dump. I will need to find a way to get it there.