Month: November 2019

***ATTN: We understand the need to give exact coordinates for safety reasons, so they are included below, however, we believe the previous issues with having our grid disturbed were due to posting the exact location online. To prevent unwanted visitors from the sampling site, are we able to replace the final 3-4 coordinate numbers with XXXX when posting in public? Thank you.***

Crew 215 EVA Report 11 Nov 2019
EVA # 01
Author: Jennifer Lane

Purpose of EVA: Geological Reconnaissance

Start time: 0955
End time: 1215

Narrative: The first EVA for Crew 215 saw us scouting for an appropriate location to set up our 10m x 10m grid (MM5) for the micrometeorite sampling, which will be our 2nd such grid since Crew 214 began. We found an undisturbed location at 518462E 4248949N just off Cow Dung Road to begin setting up the grid with the boundaries.

After a minor issue with aligning the strings to NESW (which we attribute to the crumbly Martian regolith and lack of magnetic poles on Mars, rather than human error) we were able to set up the square, ready for the full deployment on subsequent EVAs.

Just after finishing, our alarm went off signaling 11 am, and so we spent a minute in silence for Remembrance or Armistice Day.

We soon continued on our way south and were able to scout another possible location we’re calling MM6. We took the coordinates of this location (519990E 4248036N) and then continued further south along Cow Dung Road before parking at the junction with road 1101 in search of gypsum, which we were unfortunately not able to find in this location, nor was there a site appropriate for any micrometeorite sampling.

Destination: Drove from the hab, south along Cow Dung Road, where we set up our grid, and then further south on Cow Dung Road to road 1101, before returning to the hab.

Coordinates (use UTM NAD27 CONUS): 518462E 4248949N and 519900E 4248030N
Participants: Commander Andrew Wheeler, Larissa Wilson, and Jennifer Lane
Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map: Cow Dung Road to road 1101.
Mode of travel: Spirit Rover and Curiosity Rover

Cancel this!!!

Corrected EVA report to follow.

On Mon, Nov 11, 2019 at 10:32 PM BMD CapCom <bmdcapcom> wrote:

Mon 11 Nov Sol 1
by Guy Murphy

This morning we woke up on Mars. We emerged from our sleeping quarters at 7 am to views of the Sun rising across an alien landscape through the upper-level Hab windows. For the next 12 days, we are in full simulation mode (sim). We do not go outside of the designated pressurised areas of the campus unless wearing space suits and following a depressurisation protocol. We have to make do with the supplies we have and undertake our research projects and Hab maintenance while not breaking sim.

The crew is following a set daily schedule over the course of the mission, which includes rising at 7 am and lights out at 10 pm. This is to keep everyone working together on the same sleep cycle, and get the most of the available daylight hours. We are fortunate to have relatively warm, clear and dry days forecast for the next fortnight. Typically in this part of Utah, it is much colder at this time of year, with greater odds of precipitation.

The first EVA (Extra-Vehicular Activity) onto the Martian surface was completed this morning, with Larissa and Jennifer taking their first steps on another world. The 11th of November is Remembrance Day in Australia and New Zealand. As is customary, the crew stopped while out in the field for a minute of silence at 11 am to honour Australian and New Zealand service men and women.

For lunch, we consumed the remaining spaghetti bolognese from last night. Early afternoon, I showed the new crew how to make butter, cheese, and bread from the various dry ingredients in our stores. The bread machine is proving its worth.

On a long-duration mission with a limited pantry, we both crave novelty and must avoid wasting food products. Larissa is experimenting with creating a vegetarian mock pulled pork dish derived from banana skins. She has candied some orange and mandarine peel to include in a fruit bread she will bake tomorrow.

Mon 11 Nov Sol 1
by Guy Murphy

This morning we woke up on Mars. We emerged from our sleeping quarters at 7 am to views of the Sun rising across an alien landscape through the upper-level Hab windows. For the next 12 days, we are in full simulation mode (sim). We do not go outside of the designated pressurised areas of the campus unless wearing space suits and following a depressurisation protocol. We have to make do with the supplies we have and undertake our research projects and Hab maintenance while not breaking sim.

The crew is following a set daily schedule over the course of the mission, which includes rising at 7 am and lights out at 10 pm. This is to keep everyone working together on the same sleep cycle, and get the most of the available daylight hours. We are fortunate to have relatively warm, clear and dry days forecast for the next fortnight. Typically in this part of Utah, it is much colder at this time of year, with greater odds of precipitation.

The first EVA (Extra-Vehicular Activity) onto the Martian surface was completed this morning, with Larissa and Jennifer taking their first steps on another world. The 11th of November is Remembrance Day in Australia and New Zealand. As is customary, the crew stopped while out in the field for a minute of silence at 11 am to honour Australian and New Zealand service men and women.

For lunch, we consumed the remaining spaghetti bolognese from last night. Early afternoon, I showed the new crew how to make butter, cheese, and bread from the various dry ingredients in our stores. The bread machine is proving its worth.

On a long-duration mission with a limited pantry, we both crave novelty and must avoid wasting food products. Larissa is experimenting with creating a vegetarian mock pulled pork dish derived from banana skins. She has candied some orange and mandarine peel to include in a fruit bread she will bake tomorrow.