Crew Photos – January 03rd
Commander Report – January 03rd
Crew 218 Commander Report – 03-01-2020
Sol 12 – Good things come to an end? Good things go into better things!
As usual, time during a mission at MDRS flies. So, we are already on our way back to Earth, ready to open our hatch and come out of simulation tomorrow. It has been a fantastic ride, with different challenges than in my previous missions, mostly weather-related, and a lot of fun and good work. The feelings are mixed: we are a little tired and probably ready to come back to our friends and families, though we know that the first impact with crowds will be surprising. There is obviously some sadness, as it is for every good thing that comes to an end. But my feeling is that the kind of good things that we do at MDRS do not end here, but they evolve into better things. This is true not only for those who, like me, are veterans of MDRS. Everybody who is part of a crew at MDRS goes back home with more inspiration to be spread around, with a better understanding of the challenges of space exploration and of oneself, and with the pride of having given a personal contribution to the great endeavor we all dream of: expanding our horizons, both personal and as humankind, to be able to leave Earth on the route of exploration and knowledge and adventure.
My gratitude to the many people who supported our mission!
Cesare Guariniello, Commander
Operations Report – January 03rd
Journalist Report Ben Durkee, Crew 218 Journalist Sol 12 Today I was informed that the GreenHab isn't soundproof. The past few sols I've been going in there and belting out some Billy Joel while photographing and hanging out with the plants. I'm not quite homesick yet, but I would say I'm becoming a bit pianosick, if that makes any sense. Keeping my pipes warm helps keep me from going space crazy, I think - maybe it helps the plants grow too. Only now do I find out that the rest of the crew heard everything. I've been betrayed by the only other people on the planet. I'll show them. Once I become the first Martian Disney princess, they'll see. They'll all see. In other, somewhat bittersweet news, today was our last EVA! EVA 12 on Sol 12; it was very exciting, featuring both ends of the expeditionary spectrum. We gathered great data and explored a beautiful part of the landscape, but we also encountered considerably more technical difficulties than on any of the other EVAs. LuzMa, Shefali, and I set off after sunrise and took the rovers North. We continued our trajectory until one of the rovers was just above the "return home" threshold and we had found the spot for our surveys. We each gathered the last data we would get for our Mars research projects and returned to the rovers. In the midst of our data collection, we hit a few road bumps. The EMU suits are perfect for keeping us alive and (somewhat) mobile on the Martian surface. However, they have one Achilles' heel: the fog problem. Because of the humidity of our breath, the transparent surface of the helmet begins to fog up progressively, even with air continually flowing into the helmet. This problem can be mostly circumvented by wearing a bandana or scarf which will divert your breath away from the view-bubble, but even then some condensation escapes. Additionally, this strategy is not foolproof. If your face mask falls down during any point in the EVA, it's game over. You can't reach into the helmet to adjust or re-secure it, and all my attempts to recover it by mouth have been unsuccessful (and presumably very entertaining). We found that something about the weather conditions today made the helmets particularly ripe for fogging. Compound that with the rocky drive which shook off all of our masks, and you've got a recipe for three blind astronauts. While we walked around gathering our data, the exertion of trudging through snow in the EMUs had our helmets looking like mystical crystal balls before long. When we regrouped at the rovers, we found that we still had quite a bit of time remaining in our EVA window. We rested for a few minutes and regulated our breathing in an attempt to mitigate the fogging as much as possible. It worked, temporarily. It was at this point where we simulated a radio malfunction for Shefali's human factors research. We ran through communication loss protocol, in the midst of which we discovered a real equipment fault - a wardrobe malfunction. I don't know if you've ever tried to tie someone's shoes with gloves on, but it's impossible. Now try with only 50% of your normal vision and 30% of your standard range of motion. Through the magic of Mars, one of the first things we learn as children becomes the hardest task imaginable. After trying profusely to tie a traditional bow, I gave up and just tied three overhand knots (the normal one that is the basis of a bow knot). Yes, I used some of our very limited bandwidth to google what that knot is called. Maybe I should've become a Boy Scout, after all. We got everything sorted out and decided to use our remaining EVA time to explore the surrounding area. We marched through the harsh marsh of Martian snow and discovered a beautiful grotto hidden away in the rocks. It had a frozen stream flowing into it which terminated under an enchanting overhang of red rock. Beautiful orange icicles cascaded down from the overhang, appearing to be a set of alien vines. Below those gathered some lovely frozen foliage and picturesque rocks, all seeking shelter from the sun. I can only imagine what that nook what look like on warmer days. I suggested that we dub it Bean Grotto, in honor of the bean detritus and bean puns that have been plaguing our crew as of late. The comms chatter blew up with groans and firm "No!"s. I didn't hear anyone suggest a different name, though... In our excursion to the desert cove, our helmets continued fogging up with haze that just would not disappear, no matter how hard we tried. We eventually had to return to the rovers to try and solve the issue, or worst case allow us enough time to drive home in spite of the fog problem. We attempted to regulate our breathing and to wipe the glass with our faces, but to no avail. As our last resort, we had to break simulation to clear our visors of obstruction. It was unfortunate, but safety comes first and you don't mess around with vehicles in the unforgiving Martian desert. After a cautious, rugged drive home and a few pauses for the fog to clear once more, we all made it back to the Hab safely. We regaled the crew with the tale of our heroics and spent a short while to catch our breath. Then came time to begin Habitat clean-up. It's wistful, having to gather up our belongings from the giant terrarium that we've just grown accustomed to living in. This place had just become our home, and now we have to return it to its original state so we can pass the torch to our successors. In spite of the melancholy, I'm super stoked to meet the astronauts who will soon inherit the station. Their pod lands tomorrow afternoon, and we are ready to welcome them with open arms. It will be nice to see some fresh faces after two weeks! And then bombard them with inside jokes and the quirks of Martian living that we've discovered. After some more spring cleaning and then a dinner assembled of the remaining food scraps, we will retire for our last night alone in the Hab. It's been one hell of a ride, that's for sure. These two weeks have been unbelievably dense with learning, bonding, and growing as individuals. The Ben that arrived on Mars and the Ben that will blast off on Sunday are two drastically different people. This has been an incredibly valuable experience, and I don't think I'll know what to do with myself once I'm back on Earth. I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Now, it's time for me to grab the broom and head back to the GreenHab for a little more quality time with my plant pals. At least they appreciate my singing.
Operations Report – January 03rd
Crew 218 Operations Report 3-Jan-20
SOL: 12
Name of person filing report: Luz Maria Agudelo Urrego
Non-nominal systems: NA
Generator: run
Hours run: 14
From what time last night: 1730
To what time this morning: 0730
List any additional daytime hours when the generator was run: N/A
Solar— SOC % (Before the generator is run at night: 62%
Diesel Reading – 73%
Station Propane Reading – 60%
Ethanol Free Gasoline: N/A
Water (loft tank) (gal): 50
Water Meter (units): 0147279.8
Water (static tank) (gal): 225
Static to Loft Pump used – No
Water in Green Hab (gal): 74
Water in Science Dome (gal): 0
Toilet tank emptied: No
Deimos rover used: Still in the workshop
Hours:
Beginning charge:
Ending charge:
Currently charging:
Sojourner rover used: Assigned to director
Hours:
Beginning charge:
Ending charge:
Currently charging:
Spirit rover used: EVA 12
Hours: 122.7
Beginning charge: (Before EVA): 100%
Ending charge: (On return from EVA, before recharging): 43%
Currently charging: Yes
Opportunity rover used: Still in the workshop
Hours:
Beginning charge:
Ending charge:
Currently charging:
Curiosity rover used: EVA 12
Hours: 128.1
Beginning charge: 100%
Ending charge: (On return from EVA, before charging): 42%
Currently charging: Yes
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: N/A
Oil Added? No
# Hours the ATVs were used today: 0
Notes on ATVs: N/A
HabCar used, and why, where? No
CrewCar used, and why, where? No
General notes and comments: Nominal
Summary of the internet: Nominal
Summary of suits and radios: We followed the instruction from Scott Davis and fixed the Suit N°6 on the two-piece space simulator suits. Suit N°6 was used today during EVA 12, and it works perfectly.
Two of the Helmets need to be repaired. During EVA 11 preparation, we found out a helmet was missing a connector, and the red helmet had the back broken before we arrived. We put a note on the helmets for distinction.
Summary of Hab operations: The pipe from the static tank through the loft tank is still frozen. The crew filled out the Loft Tank by carrying water buckets from the Static Tank.
Summary of Science Dome operations: Nominal
Summary of RAM operations: Nominal
Summary of any observatory issues: Nominal
Summary of health and safety issues: Nominal
Questions, concerns, and requests to Mission Support: NA
Luz Ma
ENG
Crew 218
Journalist Report – January 02nd
Journalist Report Ben Durkee, Crew 218 Journalist Sol 11 We're gonna be famous! We had an extra sugary breakfast of cereal and cookies this morning while we waited for the film crew's spacecraft to arrive. The overload of carbohydrates in our bodies may have made us a little antsy as we marked time in the Hab. Our food supplies are beginning to run on empty, but we still have a surplus of flour and sugar, so Pat and I woke up at 6 AM Mars time to make our confectioneries. Hey, calories are calories. I'll get diabetes on Mars before I starve on Mars. Our Earthling guests were a tad late - the entry, descent, and landing phase was a little rockier than they expected, I reckon. We in the Hab were worried about our potential acting careers falling through, but it was actually a blessing in disguise as it afforded us more time to prepare for our first EVA of the day. We got everything in order for Pat, Shefali, and Jonathan's excursion, and then our otherworldly visitors knocked at the airlock. We discussed their desires and our own related to the filming, the most important thing being that the mission is priority one, cinematics are in the passenger seat. We hammered out both party's expectations for the day, and then the crew accompanied our three EVA musketeers to their nearby destination. Their EVA site was just within visual range of the Hab, and it was very entertaining to watch our astronauts walk up and down the same hill for the cameras. They got some footage of Jonathan's meteorological surveys and Pat's seismic tests, and then promptly returned to the Hab. Since they consumed very little rover charge on their excursion, there was a quick turnaround between EVAs. Those three tagged in the other half of the crew - namely Cesare, LuzMa, and yours truly - and we set off to our new, considerably farther, goal. We had a good spot in mind that was both useful for data collection and photogenic for the cameras. It was the perfect spot, the only issue was the terrain being too harsh for the camera crew's Chevy Spaceship. They had to disembark their craft nearby and walk to the site. Once we all convened at the picturesque bluff northeast of the Hab, we began analyzing and they began filming. I got some solid radiological data and some fun pictures of the filming crew in action. They were very appreciative of the photos, as they hardly get any shots of themselves behind the scenes. Photographers/videographers are this world's unsung heroes, that's for sure. By far the best thing to come of this EVA, though, is the drone footage of me wiping out in mud while carefully descending the hill. Don't tell the crew (because I am a broke college student), but I would pay good money for that video. We returned to our rovers and they to their spacecraft. I was very impressed with how they were able to hold their breaths for the entire EVA. We complimented their lung capacity and proceeded back to the Hab for an end-of-day recap and very late lunch. Stories were shared between crews and before we knew it, the time had come for their orbital window back to Earth. We saw them off and lamented how we will be departing the same way soon. I've started to get sentimental about this place. We've only been here sub-two weeks, but Mars has a way of sucking you in and making you wanna stay. And I'm not just talking about gravity. This mission seems like it has gone by quicker than it took for our dried mango supply to perish. That is to say: very fast. I have a powerful cognitive weapon at my disposal, though. Any time I start reminiscing about the elements that make this place so grand, I just have to think about the beans. Oh, the notorious beans. We had beans and jambalaya for dinner last night and it was a delicious meal - we also cooked a large surplus of beans for future meals between now and our departure. All in all, a great time. The problems arose when I realized I was on dish duty that night. I looked at the culinary carnage around the table and my stomach dropped - both from the beans eaten and the beans uneaten. See, beans have an uncanny ability to adhere to dishes. Not only that, but they spread to any dish they even remotely come in contact with. If you take some bean water (yum) and transfer it to other dishes, no matter how heavily you dilute it, the water will somehow always potently remember its bean history. It's like it has Post Traumatic Bean Disorder. It's a nightmare for dishwashing, especially when you are trying to conserve water to the best of your ability. Soon enough our whole kitchen reeked of bean. It propogates like the Bubeanic Plague. I spent multiple hours cleaning those dishes, and still had to call in backup to cleanse them of their blight. It was unbeanlievable. Not to mention our fridge full of leftover beans. Opening that thing is opening Beandora's Box. Don't do it. I realize I have spent upwards of two paragraphs discussing beans and bean related anguish, but this is the only outlet myself and the rest of the crew have for our deep-seeded pain. Tomorrow, we have one more EVA before beginning to wrap up. Tonight, I count beans instead of sheep. But, you know, other than that our time here has bean phenomenal.
Crew Photos – January 02nd
GreenHab Report – January 02nd
Crew 218 GreenHab Report 02-JAN-20
Crew GreenHab Officer: Dr. Jonathan R. Buzan and HSO Shefali Rana
Environmental control: Heating.
Shade cloth (40% and 30%) on.
Average temperature: 21.2°C; 20%
9:40AM
Floor Unit: 15°C
Electronic: 21.1°C
humidity 19%
2:45PM
Floor Unit: 16°C
Electronic: 21.1°C
humidity 19%
4:15PM
Floor Unit: 15°C
Electronic: 20.9°C
humidity 20%
Max: 25.6°C; 22%
Min: 16.8°C; 19%
Hours of supplemental light: Light system 6:00PM-11:00AM.
Daily water usage for crops: 4.3Gal.
Daily water usage for research and/or other purposes: N/A
Water in Blue Tank – ~80 Gal.
Time(s) of watering for crops:
9:40AM: 1.1 Gal. Cucumber and snow peas
4:15PM: 2.1 Gal. Watering the herb bed for herb garden and hanging plants.
6:15PM: 1.1 Gal. Final watering.
SEASONAL PLANTING HISTORY:
Change to crops: None.
OTHER NOTES:
1st sprouts: N/A
—Watered cucumber due to dry soil.
—Film crew captured GreenHab activities of Jonathan and Shefali.
—Gnat spray has arrived.
Harvest: N/A
Commander Report – January 02nd
Crew 218 Commander Report 02-01-2020
Sol 11 – Light, camera, action
Today we had a special day: a visit from an Earthling filming crew who spent some time grabbing our activities as analog astronauts. Our day proceeded as usual, with two EVAs after breakfast and a good amount of research. Despite the clouds and the cold that still persist, we had successful excursions, after which our guests had more taste of our research activities and of our social life. Tomorrow we will already be cleaning and preparing the hab for the following crew. As usual, time here flies and it is hard to realize that we actually are in a new year!
Cesare Guariniello, Commander
EVA Report – January 02nd
EVA #: 10 Author: Pat Pesa Purpose of EVA: Seismometric measurements; EVA and EMU evaluation project; Filming crew Start time: 11:17 End time: 12:35 Narrative: Jonathon, Pat, and Shefali took the short Rover trip to the Marble Ritual. They were met there by a guest filming crew to observe research activity. Seismic measurements were taken at the site at several distance intervals. Destination: Marble Ritual Coordinates (use UTM NAD27 CONUS): 12S 518800, 4250700 EVA Participants: Pat Pesa, GEO; Jonathan Buzan, SCI; Shefali Rana, HSO Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map: Cow Dung Road Mode of travel: Driving and walking Vehicles you will be using (If applicable): Curiosity and Spirit EVA #: 11 Author: Cesare Guariniello Purpose of EVA: weather observation; Geology samples collection; Radio measurements; Filming crew Start time: 13:39 End time: 15:28 Narrative: Cesare, Luz Ma and Ben, together with a guest from the filming crew, drove the rover along Cow Dung Rd and Galileo Rd. They took weather observation, radio measurements, and collected rock samples before going to the lower lands along Cactus Rd. Here, they took more measurements before heading back to the hab. An engineering EVA was performed at the end of the excursion Destination: Galileo / Cactus Rd Coordinates (use UTM NAD27 CONUS): 12S 520200, 4251500
Operations Report – January 02nd
Crew 218 Operations Report 2-Jan-20
SOL: 11
Name of person filing report: Luz Maria Agudelo Urrego
Non-nominal systems: NA
Generator: run
Hours run: 12.5
From what time last night: 1900
To what time this morning: 0730
List any additional daytime hours when the generator was run: N/A
Solar— SOC % (Before the generator is run at night: 64%
Diesel Reading – 74%
Station Propane Reading – 62%
Ethanol Free Gasoline: N/A
Water (loft tank) (gal): 36
Water Meter (units): 0147236.5
Water (static tank) (gal): 270
Static to Loft Pump used – No
Water in Green Hab (gal): 80
Water in Science Dome (gal): 0
Toilet tank emptied: No
Deimos rover used: Still in the workshop
Hours:
Beginning charge:
Ending charge:
Currently charging:
Sojourner rover used: Assigned to director
Hours:
Beginning charge:
Ending charge:
Currently charging:
Spirit rover used: EVA 10
Hours: 121.7
Beginning charge: (Before EVA): 100%
Ending charge: (On return from EVA, before recharging): 86%
Currently charging: Yes
Spirit rover used: EVA 11
Hours: 122.2
Beginning charge: (Before EVA): 100%
Ending charge: (On return from EVA, before recharging): 57%
Currently charging: Yes
Opportunity rover used: Still in the workshop
Hours:
Beginning charge:
Ending charge:
Currently charging:
Curiosity rover used: EVA 10
Hours: 127
Beginning charge: 100%
Ending charge: (On return from EVA, before charging): 88%
Currently charging: Yes
Curiosity rover used: EVA 11
Hours: 127.5
Beginning charge: 100%
Ending charge: (On return from EVA, before charging): 61%
Currently charging: Yes
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: N/A
Oil Added? No
# Hours the ATVs were used today: 0
Notes on ATVs: N/A
HabCar used, and why, where? No
CrewCar used, and why, where? No
General notes and comments: Nominal
Summary of the internet: Nominal
Summary of suits and radios: We received instruction from Scott Davis about how to fix Suit N°6 on the two-piece space simulator suits. We will fix the suit tomorrow, January 3rd, and let you know how it goes.
Summary of Hab operations: The pipe from the static tank through the loft tank is still frozen. The crew did not fill out the Loft Tank by carrying water buckets from the Static Tank since we still have water in the Loft Tank.
Summary of Science Dome operations: Nominal
Summary of RAM operations: Nominal
Summary of any observatory issues: Nominal
Summary of health and safety issues: Nominal
Questions, concerns, and requests to Mission Support: NA
Luz Ma
ENG
Crew 218
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