EVA Report – January 14th


Crew 219 EVA Report 14-01-2020
EVA #14
Author: Dave Masaitis
Purpose of EVA: Geologic sample collection
Start time: 1259 hrs
End time: 1429 hrs
Narrative: EVA #14 departed the Hab on Spirit and Curiosity at 1259
hours and drove south on Cow Dung Road. The EVA team continued a
southward push for about 300 meters beyond Robert’s Rock Garden,
before parking the rovers and dismounting to proceed west on foot.
While the the team finished collecting equipment for sampling, D.
Masaitis summited a nearby hillside to gain a better visual
understanding of the local area. The EVA team then circumvented the
hill on its southern side and emerged into a open, flat plain. The
team discussed their view of the area and selected sampling sites. D.
Masaitis paced out the distance between the first five sampling sites,
and then K. Crisman and C. Montanez began collections while R. Raphael
photographed the collection sites. With the first five samples
collected, the team then investigated to more areas of interest
nearby, collecting another four additional samples. With sampling
complete, the team returned to the rovers and returned to the Hab,
arriving by 1429.
Destination: S. of Robert’s Rock Garden
Coordinates: 0518500/4248300
Participants: D. Masaitis (CO), K. Crisman (HSO), C. Montanez (GHO),
R. Raphael (ASTRO)
Roads and routes per MDRS Map: South on Cow Dung Rd. past Robert’s
Rock Garden, then west on foot.

Astronomy Report – January 14th

Astronomy Report

Name: Robinson Raphael

Crew: 219

Date: Jan 14th, 2020

MDRS ROBOTIC OBSERVATORY: (MDRS-14)

MDRS-14 took observations of:

NGC 2623:

(5 exposures of 40 seconds in R)

(5 exposures of 75 seconds in V)

(5 exposures of 150 seconds in B)

(5 exposures of 150 seconds in Generic B)

(5 exposures of 75 seconds in Generic V)

(4 exposures of 40 seconds in Generic R)

Resubmitted observations for NGC 2623 with longer exposure times.
Current exposures recorded do not display the celestial body and
images are of very low quality overall.

Images submitted with report: None (Observations for other celestial
objects are still pending. Submitted a color image of the Crab Nebula
yesterday as Photo of the Day)

Problems encountered: MDRS-14 telescope only recorded 4/5 exposures
for Generic R filter (possibly due to weather causing the camera to
abort).

Research Report – January 14th


Crew 219 Research Report 14-JAN-20
Crew Science Officer: Hannah Blackburn

1. Biometrics and Neurobehavioral Research

We continued taking sleep logs and post-EVA biometrics and surveys.

2. UAV

The UAV was damaged during transport to MDRS. It has not been a
priority until now for our engineer due to other maintenance tasks.
After some fault isolation, we determined that motors 3 and 4 are not
working because they aren’t receiving power from the flight control
board.

3. Dust Mitigation for Optical Mirrors

Cotton swab and cotton ball technique tested on mirrors.

4. Astrophotography of Celestial Bodies

See Astronomy Report.

5. Remediation of Mars Regolith

Nothing to report.

6. Chemical and Mineralogical Composition of the MDRS Site

Samples were dried in the oven using glass beakers. Additional samples
collected during EVA 14.

7. Protocols for the Discovery of Life on Mars

Lichen samples photographed under microscope. Additional samples
collected during EVA 14.

Glassware check out:

10 glass beakers (sizes between 200 and 500 ml) were used to dry
regolith samples.

A reminder to all crewmembers: There’s a $300 fine for using any
glassware material without MDRS Mission support permission.

Sol Summary – January 14th


Crew 219 Sol Summary Report 14-01-2020

Sol: 9

Summary Title: Taco Tuesday!

Author's name: Dave Masaitis

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary: There is no Tuesday better than Taco Tuesday.
The morning started with coffee and a light breakfast as the crew got
up and started performing their normal routines around the Hab. The
sun shone brightly and everyone’s mood was light and jovial, as crew
members busied themselves and joked amongst one another. H. Blackburn
prepared tuna tacos for lunch, to the great enjoyment of everyone
present, and then the EVA support team went downstairs to prepare
suits for EVA #14’s 1300 departure. Checklists were followed, and EVA
#14 exited the airlock a minute early. They returned an hour and a
half later with a bag full of samples, and the much of the crew spent
the afternoon in the science dome investigating and cataloging the new
scientific material, while K. Crisman collected his biometric data
from the EVA’s participants. The crew then sat down and wrote their
evening’s reports while H. Blackburn effortlessly whipped up a
delicious chicken pot pie...of which there were no leftovers. After
Comms window, the team will meet one more time to discuss tomorrow’s
plan before bedding down for another full day on Mars. The sun shines
on us again, and the planet is finally starting to peek some red
terrain out from under sheets of snow!

Look Ahead Plan: Two EVAs, sample analysis and preparation for
shipment, rough drafts of the end of mission summary and maintenance
as necessary

Anomalies in work: None

Weather: cold and sunny all day

Crew Physical Status: Nominal

EVA:

EVA #14 – Geologic Sample Collection south of Robert’s Rock Garden
(0518500/4248300)

Reports to be filed:

Sol Summary

EVA Report #14

EVA Request #15 & #16

Operations Report

GreenHab Report

Research Report

Astronomy Report

Journalist's Report

Photos (Including Photo of the Day)

Support Requested: None

GreenHab Report – January 14th


Crew 219 GreenHab Report 14-JAN-20

Crew GreenHab Officer: Cynthia Montanez

Environmental control: Heating.

Shade cloth (40% and 30%) on.

Average temperature: 24.3 °C

11:12 A.M.

Floor Unit: 15 °C

Mid-height unit: 31 °C

4:00 P.M.

Floor Unit: 16 °C

Mid-height unit: 24 °C

5:55 P.M.

Floor Unit: 12 °C

Mid-height unit: 18 °C

Hours of supplemental light: Light system 7:00PM-12:00AM.

Daily water usage for crops: 5 Gal.

Daily water usage for research and/or other purposes: N/A

Water in Blue Tank – 161.21 Gal.

Time(s) of watering for crops:

13 Jan 2020 – 10:30 P.M.

14 Jan 2020 – 11:12 P.M.

14 Jan 2020 – 5:55 P.M.

SEASONAL PLANTING HISTORY:

Change to crops: N/A

OTHER NOTES:

1st sprouts: N/A

Harvest: At 11:12 A.M., 4 grams of cilantro, 23 grams of lettuce, 8
grams of swiss chard, and 8 grams of purple carrots were harvested. At
4:25 P.M., 12 grams of sage, 4 grams of marjoram, and 0.25 grams of
thyme were harvested.

Other: The two cucumber plants that were transplanted yesterday were
given fertilizer in an attempt to revitalize the wilted leaves. Also,
after searching for the missing electronic thermometer, I learned that
Outpost had taken it for their own means. So, to be able to read the
mid-height temperature of the GreenHab, I removed the thermometer that
is outside of the GreenHab, and I placed it inside as the temporary
thermometer until the electronic one is available.

Journalist Report – January 14th


Crew 219 14-Jan-2020 Journalist Report

Abdul Elnajdi, Crew 219 Geologist

Sol 9

I cannot believe that today is the ninth day since our arrival on
Mars! I got up at 7:30 am and hoped that the sun was shining like
yesterday and the day before. I consider myself a person who loves
getting up early, but I cannot start my day without a cup of coffee.
Thank God that the commander of our mission, David, brought coffee
with him. It is strong and has a delicious taste.

Today's schedule will be quite easy, our XO, Nathan, planned one EVA.
As I do my geological duty, I am very happy to go outside and collect
samples of the red planet. Although there is snow, I only see red
soil! That's what my imagination has been showing me since we arrived
on Mars. I am trying to collect samples from different sites around
the Martian base for my proposal. I am working to draw a map with GIS
that shows the mineral and chemical composition of the Martian soil
using XRF and XRD analysis of the samples.

Despite the unexpected difficulties that sometimes face us, seeing my
friends working professionally on their various tasks makes me feel
very happy. This happiness sweeps my body with a great energy that
drives me to work every day to make this mission a success.

I learn a lot from David as he reminds us of our mission today and how
important it is to complete everything before six o'clock so that we
have time to write our daily reports. I smile when I see our engineer
Alejandro jumping like a ninja warrior to record water and power
numbers so the day goes well for everyone. I feel safe listening to
our HSO Keith's medical advice and his reminders to drink water. I
love to listen to Robby and Cynthia as they tell me about the progress
they make every day in the GreenHab and in the observatory, or seeing
Nathan planning for the next EVA. As I collect samples, I think about
the food that Hannah will make! We are lucky that Hannah is with us!
The food she makes makes you forget your tiredness all day. She made
fish tacos for lunch today! Good food, good company, and a sunny day!
What else you need on Mars?!

Our crew had a wonderfully sunny EVA today; they collected new samples
and brought them back to the Science Dome, putting them in the oven to
dry. I will work later to sieve them and put them in special bags
until they are ready for analysis when we return to Earth. The rest of
the crew spent time cleaning around the Hab. I found out that my
friends love to drink my chai! So I made some for them because that
makes them happy and we always have something fun to talk about with a
nice cup of tea. The HAB is just like USS Enterprise from Star Trek:
no matter what the spaceship went through, everything will be just
fine by the end of the day because the crew did so well. It was
another beautiful sol and we already know our tasks tomorrow. We are
all ready to get a good night’s sleep and wake up to another
spectacular sunny Sol. Salam 

Operations Report – January 14th

  

 Operations Report

Crew 219 Operations Report 14-JAN-2020

Sol: 9

Name of person filing report: Alejandro Perez

Non-nominal systems: N/A

Generator: Run

Hours run: 13

From what time last night: 18:00

To what time this morning: 07:00

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

Solar- SOC% (Before the generator is run at night): 81%

08:30 = 97%; 09:30 = 99%; 10:45 = 95%; 12:15 = 92%; 13:15 = 87%; 14:15
= 86%; 15:15 = 82%; 16:15 = 81%; 17:50 = 100%

Diesel Reading - 60%

Station Propane Reading- 38%

Ethanol Free Gasoline- N/A

Water (loft tank) (gal) – 50

Water Meter (units)- 0147688,7

Water (static tank) (gal) – 350

Static to loft Pump used –Yes

Water in Green Hab (gal): 161.21

Water in Science Dome (gal): 0

Toilet Tank Emptied –Yes

Diemos rover used: Still in the Work shop

Hours:

Beginning Charge:

End Charge:

Currently Charging:

Sojourner rover used: Assigned to Director

Hours:

Beginning Charge:

End Charge:

Currently Charging:

Spirit Rover used- Yes

Starting Hours: 125.4

Beginning Charge: 100%

Ending Hours: 125.6

Ending Charge: 66%

Opportunity Rover used: Still in workshop

Hours:

Beginning Charge:

Ending Charge:

Currently Charging:

Curiosity Rover used: Yes

Starting Hours: 131.3

Beginning Charge: 100%

Ending Hours: 131.6

Ending Charge: 72%

Notes on Rovers: Opportunity and Deimos off-site for maintenance.

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

Reason for use:

Oil Added? No

# hours the ATV’s were used today:

Notes on ATVs:

Habcar used and why, where?

CrewCar used and why, where? In the shop.

General Notes and Comments:

Summary of the internet: Nominal

Summary of Suit and Radios: Checked all suits for battery performance.
All one-piece suit batteries have higher voltage than the replacement
from the RAM.

Summary of Hab: Nominal

Summary of Science Dome operations: Temperature averaging 8°C during
the day and 0°C at night.

Summary of Ram operations: Roof was leaking today.

Summary of any observatory issues: Nominal

Summary of Health and safety issues: Nominal

Questions, concerns, and requests to Mission Support: 
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