Crew 221 EVA Report 13FEB-2020
EVA #13
Author: Jessica Todd (GreenHab Officer)
Purpose of EVA: The primary purpose was to test our Martian rover, MOUSIE. EVA #7 selected sites of interest in Candor Chasma, that were inaccessible to astronauts and featured some interesting rock stratification that we wanted to sample. Today’s EVA aimed to test our rover in these sites.
Start time: 2:30 pm
End time: 4:32 pm
Narrative: Today is the day to finally test our robot! Our crack team of roboticists (Hermani – Crew Journalist, Jessica – GreenHab Officer, Maria – Commander) has spent the better part of the last two weeks building MOUSIE (the Mars Overland and Underground Scientific Investigative Explorer). After a morning filled with last-minute debugging, involving four separate computers and five different crewmates, MOUSIE was finally ready for deployment.
We were headed to Candor Chasma, to send MOUSIE where no Mars astronaut had gone (or could go) before. Candor Chasma features some interesting rock overhangs that the astronauts can’t access in their bulky EVA suits, but are a perfect site to test MOUSIE. We did some initial tests out the front of the Hab, in close proximity to our brains’ trust inside if something went wrong.
A last-minute wheel reattachment (quite the task in bulky EVA gloves) and we were ready to go. Upon discovering one of the intended rovers was not charged, Hermani offered to remain behind, and Maria and Jessica set off for Candor Chasma in the other rover.
Tests in the Chasma were a success! MOUSIE was able to access rock samples under the overhangs using her little robotic arm, though she did struggle on the more sandy patches at the bottom of the Chasma. MOUSIE 2.0 might need some more intense overland tires!
Destination: Walking along Stream Bed Connector and Candor Chasma.
Coordinates (use UTM NAD27 CONUS): 0520285/4251221
Participants: Jessica Todd (GreenHab Officer), Maria Grulich (Commander), Hemani Kalucha (Journalist)
Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map: Drove along Entrance Road then north along Cow Dung Road (0110). Parked at entrance to Stream Bed Connector and walked along with it to Candor Chasma.
Mode of travel: Driving and Walking