GreenHab Report – Nov 15th

Crew 215 GreenHab Report 15-11-2019

GreenHab Officer: Guy Murphy

Environmental control: Door left open for ventilation 12 midday then reclosed 3pm as the day was overcast.

Average temperatures: –

Hours of supplemental light: Automatic system

Daily water usage for crops: 16 litres (2 full blue watering cans).

Daily water usage for research and/or other purposes:

Water in Blue Tank –

Time(s) of watering for crops: 10am, 4:00pm.

Changes to crops: Acorn pumpkin, snow pea seed planted.

SEASONAL PLANTING HISTORY

Established plants introduced 03/11/2019

[3x] strawberry plants (Everbearing), in medium metal planter

[1x] spicy orange thyme (thymus fragantissimus), small terra cotta pot

[1x] lemon balm scented geranium (pelargonium x Melissinum), small terra cotta pot

[1x] Mint Mentha – Berries & Cream, small terra cotta pot

[1x] Pineapple Mint – mentha suaveolens variegated, small terra cotta pot

[1x] Ice plant – Delospermo ‘jewel of the desert garnet’, small terra cotta pot

[1x] Sempervium textorum assorted Hen & Chicks, small terra cotta pot

[1x] Rosemary ‘Barbecue’ (Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Barbecue’), large plastic pot

[1x] Rosemary ‘Spice Island’ Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Spice Island’, large plastic pot

[1x] mint, grapefruit, large plastic pot

[2x] small Aloe Vera, in medium metal planter, frost damaged (removed 1311219)

Seeds Planted 04/11/2019 (Large metal planting tub)

Greek Oregano – Origanum heracleoticum

Chives – Allium schoenoprasum

Sweet Marjoram – Origanum majorana

Lemon Balm – Melissa officialnis

Sage – Savia Officinalis

Thai Basil – Siam Queen

German/Winter Thyme – Thymus vulgaris

Seeds Planted 10/11/2019 (Large metal planting tub)

Corinader – Coriandrum Sativum

Seeds Planted in12/11/2019 (2 smaller planting tubs)

Carrots ‘Purple Sun F1’

Radish ‘icicle’

Seeds Planted 13/11/2019

Perpetual Spinach, Rocket, Spinach ‘Lakeside F1’in medium metal planter.

Tomato (Chocolate Cherry) and Tomato Pole Roma in small pots for transplantation.

Seeds Planted 14/11/2019

Tomato (Chocolate Cherry) and Tomato Pole Roma in small pots for transplantation.

Onion (Evergreen White Bunching)

Cucumbers (Patio Snackers F1) in hanging pot

Pepper (Mini Bell Color Mix) in small pots for transplantation.

Seeds Planted 15/11/2019

Acorn Pumpkin in a small pot for future transplantation. Seed taken from a pumpkin brought to the Hab at start of rotation as a vegetable.

Snow Peas in 2 hanging pots.

Other seeds stored in the Greenhab are identified as –

Rocket ‘Arugula Rocket Salad ‘Rocky’ (Diplotaxis tenuifolia), 1/2 packet

Spinach ‘Lakeside F1’, 1/2 packet

Carrots ‘Purple Sun F1’ – 1/2 packet

Radish ‘icicle’ – 1/2 packet

Snow Pea (Oregon Giant)

Cucumbers (Patio Snackers F1), 1/2 packet

Onion (Evergreen White Bunching), 1/2 packet

Pepper (Mini Bell Color Mix), 1/2 packet

Perpetual Spinach (Green Leaf Chard), 1/2 packet

Partly used packed of seed have been stored in the provided tin to protect from vermin. This will also also repropogation later in the season to stagger harvest times and allow resowing if crops are lost.

25 white Narcissus bulbs (Paperwhites ‘Ziva’)

Harvest: None

Support/supplies needed: N/A

Journalist Report Nov 15th

Fri 15 Nov Sol 5

by Guy Murphy

This morning Andrew and Jennifer ventured out on an EVA to continue sampling at the micro-meteorite site I visited yesterday. Unusually, they were buzzed by an unknown drone. I stayed at the Hab for the morning catching up the admin of life, planting further seeds in the Greenhab early afternoon. Late in the day, we undertook a simulated emergency rescue, which I will describe in more detail tomorrow.

The MDRS is located at an elevation of approximately 1300 metres in a semi-arid climatic zone. It is in part of the Colorado plateau that is a cold desert ecology rather than a hot desert. Not all deserts are hot, though it is much warmer here in summer. It is now near the end of autumn (or fall). While there is a sprinking of brown, dead vegetation in a few localities, the area around the campus is completely devoid of green. Outside, there are no natural sounds at all. No birds, only an occasional insect to be found after a long search.

The weird mounded landscape is formed of pale, powdery swellinbg clays known as bentonite at its lower reaches rather than sand. Start walking up the an incline, and the seemingly firm crust gives way, and your foot will fall into a large moving and sliding depression filling with fine powder. It seldom rains here, but when it does the landscape transforms to slushy clay than can barely be driven upon, let alone walked across for any distance. Dry or wet, it it hard not to carry it into the Hab airlocks on your feet or on your clothes, where it then trails into the lower interior level and starts to gradually coat flat surfaces of the upper level as it gets churned up as dust.

The problems with dust management Crew 215 are encountering mirror those early explorers will face on Mars. Martian dust is extremely fine. It has been generated by billions of years of aeolian activity, having being blown around and abraded in a dry environment. It is likely to stick to the external surfaces of space suits and follow them inside through airlocks. It may be activated by static electricty. Andrew and Jennifer did their best to shake off all dust this morning, but a small amount always comes in.

Operations Report – Nov 15th

Crew 215 Operations Report 15-Nov-2019

SOL: 5

Name of person filing report: Shane Usher

Non-nominal systems:

Notes on non-nominal systems:

Generator: run

Hours run: 12 h 42 min

From what time last night: 1830

To what time this morning: 0712

List any additional daytime hours when the generator was run: N/A

Solar— SOC % (Before generator is run at night): 68%

Diesel Reading – 49%

Station Propane Reading – 70%

Ethanol Free Gasoline: N/A

Water (loft tank) (gal): 47

Water Meter (units): 1458114

Water (static tank) (gal): 392

Static to Loft Pump used – yes

Water in Green Hab (gal): 355.5

Water in Science Dome (gal): 0

Toilet tank emptied: yes

Deimos rover used: not at Hab

Hours: –

Beginning charge: –

Ending charge: –

Currently charging: –

Sojourner rover used: Assigned to Director

Hours: –

Beginning charge: –

Ending charge: –

Currently charging: –

Spirit rover used: yes

Hours: 111.0

Beginning charge: (Before EVA): 100%

Ending charge: (On return from EVA, before recharging): 67%

Currently charging: yes

Opportunity rover used: no

Hours: 66.2

Beginning charge: 100%

Ending charge: 100%

Currently charging: yes

Curiosity rover used: yes

Hours: 117.1

Beginning charge: (Before EVA) : 100%

Ending charge: (On return from EVA, before charging): 80%

Currently charging: yes

Notes on rovers:

ATV’s Used: (Honda, 300, 350.1, 350.2, 350.3): no

Reason for use: N/A

Oil Added? no

ATV Fuel Used (gal): 0

# Hours the ATVs were used today: 0

Notes on ATVs: Assigned to the director

HabCar used and why, where? With Director

CrewCar used and why, where? At Grand Junction awaiting Crew 216

General notes and comments: This report template is now produced through an Excel spreasheet template developed by Crew Engineer, Shane Usher.

Summary of internet: Functional

Summary of suits and radios: Functional

Summary of Hab operations: Kitchen benchtop installed. Sink plumbed by Shane Usher and Andrew Wheeler.

Summary of GreenHab operations: Atmospheric equalization to the green hab carried out during the afternoon, plants were watered (16L, 4.5 gal). The heater automatically came on at 5pm.

Summary of Science Dome operations: Washed and crushed gypsum samples, Re-bagged micrometeorite samples.

Summary of RAM operations: Nominal

Summary of any observatory issues: Nominal

Summary of health and safety issues: Conducted a simulated medical emergency.

Questions, concerns and requests to Mission Support:

EVA Report Nov 15th

Crew 215 EVA Report 15-Nov-2019

EVA # 06

Author: Jennifer Lane

Purpose of EVA: Continue with the sweeping of Micrometeorite Site (5) (MM5) grid squares

Start time: 0930

End time: 1150

Narrative: We made our way south on Cow Dung road to the micrometeorite site and

managed to sweep an additional 24 of the 1m squares of the grid. This leaves 36 more

squares to complete.

Destination: MM5 site south along Cow Dung Road

Coordinates (use UTM NAD27 CONUS): 518462E 4248949N

Participants: Andrew Wheeler and Jennifer Lane

Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map: Cow Dung Road

Mode of travel: Curiosity and Spirit Rovers.

EVA # 07

Author: Jennifer Lane

Purpose of EVA: Rescheduling of the simulated electrocution of the engineer while the

daily engineering EVA is being conducted (EVA request #5).

Start time: 4:50

End time: 5:05

Narrative: Whilst conducting his daily engineering EVA, Shane feigned an electric

shock. Guy and Larissa suited up and depressurized to conduct an emergency rescue.

Using a heavy duty carry sheet, they were able to drag and carry Shane back into the

airlock and then coordinate with the remainder of the crew how to lift him over the

final step while pressurizing.

Destination: Directly outside the hab

Coordinates (use UTM NAD27 CONUS): 518230E 4250725N

Participants: Guy Murphy and Larissa Wilson

Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map: N/A

Mode of travel: Foot

Science Report Nov 15th

Science Report 15 November 2019

SOL: 5

Crew 215 – Expedition Boomerang Crew

Submitted by Science Officer Andrew Wheeler

Science Dome Operations: More micrometeorite samples were collected in the morning and

processed in the afternoon. Further gypsum samples were ground in preparation for the

cement making experiments to be carried out later in the rotation.

Green Hab: Green Hab operations have continued. See Green Hab report.

RAM Operations: N/A

EVA: The fifth EVA for science saw us returning to the MM5 (518462E 4248949N) site

where 24 micrometeorite samples were collected. 64% of the grid has now been sampled.

See EVA Report.

EVA Suit Maintenance: Nominal. See Operations Report.

Psycho-social Stressors Monitoring: Data collection continues through the hexoskin

monitoring vests. The simulated emergency retrieval of the engineer was carried out

during the engineering EVA and the performance of all participants is being evaluated.

In addition, indicated modifications to the airlock that would make this activity

easier are being evaluated.

Additional activities: N/A.

Sol Summary Report Nov 15th

Crew 215 Sol Summary Report 15-NOV-2019

Sol: 5

Summary Title: Practice Rescue Day

Author’s name: Andrew Wheeler

Mission Status: Active

Sol Activity Summary: Another early departure EVA for this sol had again returning to

the micrometeorite sample grid in the stream wash at MM5 (518462E 4248949N). We

collected another 24 samples before returning to the hab for lunch. 64% of the plots

have now been sampled. With only 36 samples to go, we will have completed the second of

the micrometeorite sampling grids and allow flux rate comparisons to be made between

undisturbed surfaces and accumulation surfaces. The afternoon was spent processing the

micrometeorite grid samples and grinding gypsum for cement experimentation. An

emergency response simulation was carried out at 1700 in which an EVA was carried out

to retrieve an unresponsive Marstronaut. This was successfully carried out by 1725.

Following an extensive debrief, dinner was very welcome as adrenaline levels returned

to normal.

Look Ahead Plan: Planning an EVA to MM5 (518462E 4248949N) to continue collection of

micrometeorite samples (see EVA request), continue preparing gypsum for cement

manufacture and Green Hab operations. Continue monitoring of psycho-social stressors.

Anomalies in work: N/A.

Weather: Marginally below freezing overnight, light winds, partly cloudy.

Crew Physical Status: Healthy

EVA: Micrometeorite sampling EVA. See EVA report

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary Report, Operations Report, Science Report, GreenHab

Report, EVA Request, EVA Report, Journalist Report, Daily Photos.

Support Requested: N/A

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