Operations Report – March 10th

Crew 223 Operations Report 10/03/2020

SOL: 9

Name of person filing report: Luc FORTIN

Non-nominal systems: Nothing to report

Notes on non-nominal systems: Nothing to report

Monday generator:

Off at 6:30am

On at 10:07pm SOC was 86%

Tuesday generator:

Off at 6:00am

On at 9:00pm SOC was XX%

Diesel Reading – 67%

Station Propane Reading – 72%

Ethanol Free Gasoline – 5.5 gallons

Water (loft tank): 47 gallons

Water Meter: 149777.35 units

Water (static tank) – 251 gallons

Static to Loft Pump used – yes

Water in GreenHab – 112.0 gallons

Water in ScienceDome: 0 gallons

Toilet tank emptied: yes

Perseverance rover used: yes

Hours: 151.7

Beginning charge: 100%

Ending charge: 98%

Currently charging: yes

Sojourner rover used: ASSIGNED TO DIRECTOR

Hours: Nothing to report

Beginning charge: Nothing to report

Ending charge: Nothing to report

Currently charging: Nothing to report

Spirit rover: no

Hours: 134.2

Beginning charge: 100%

Ending charge: 100%

Currently charging: yes

Opportunity rover used: moved from campus to the shop to repair the brakes.

Hours: Nothing to report

Beginning charge: Nothing to report

Ending charge: Nothing to report

Currently charging: Nothing to report

Curiosity rover used: no

Hours: 139.6

Beginning charge: 100%

Ending charge: 100%

Currently charging: yes

Notes on rovers: Nothing to report

ATV’s Used: yes (Honda, 1, 2 and 3)

Reason for use: ATVs 1 and 3 used during the EVA. ATV 2 started during the EVA Engineer.

Oil Added? no

ATV Fuel Used: ~5%

Hours the ATVs were Used today: 10 minutes

Notes on ATVs: Nothing to report.

HabCar used and why, where? The HabCar is parked at the MDRS Campus.

CrewCar used and why, where? The CrewCar is in Grand Junction.

General notes and comments: Nothing to report

Summary of internet: All ok.

Summary of suits and radios: Suits 7, 8, 9, 10 were used during the EVA.

Summary of Hab operations: Nothing to report.

Summary of GreenHab operations: Nothing to report.

Summary of ScienceDome operations: Nothing to report.

Summary of RAM operations: Nothing to report.

Summary of any observatory issues: Nothing to report

Summary of health and safety issues: Nothing to report

Questions, concerns and requests to Mission Support: Nothing to report

Astronomy Report – March 10th

Crew 223 Astronomy Report Mar 10 2020

Name: Florian Delpech

Crew: 223

Date: 3/10/2020

MDRS ROBOTIC OBSERVATORY

Robotic Telescope Requested (choose one) MDRS-14

Objects to be Imaged this Evening: NGC 4621 ; NGC 2655 ; NGC 3032 ; NGC 3344 ; NGC 4450 ; NGC 2775 ; NGC 4449 ; NGC 4254 ; NGC 4125 ; NGC 3338 ; NGC 2683 ; NGC 6503 ; NGC 5248 ; NGC 4038 ; IC 342 ; M100. Let’s back to the research project aimed at tacking supernovae!

Images submitted with this report: 1 picture of the cluster M35 and 1 picture of the galaxie NGC 2403

Problems Encountered: N/A

MUSK OBSERVATORY

Solar Features Observed: N/A

Images submitted with this report: N/A

Problems Encountered: N/A

Journalist Report – March 10th

Crew 223 Journalist Report 10Mar2020

Author: Clément Plagne, Crew Journalist

Sol 9: Why we do it

If you’re reading this, it probably means that you’re either a family member or friend of ours, interested by science and the exploration of Mars, or both. From your point of view, being out in the desert and being like astronauts for some time is fascinating, or at least intriguing. There’s this funny bubble of odd people, who see the prospect of near-total isolation from the outside world as something to envy, or to try out yourself. They read about the golden age of superhero astronauts, and look with admiration to the people shooting themselves upwards to live in the literal middle of nowhere, six at most in a metal tube zipping through the vacuum of space.

I have no doubt that every member of our crew is in that bubble. But, as it turns out, most of the world lives outside of it. It’d be stupid to imagine ourselves as more adventurous or curious than them – and I like to imagine we’re no less normal than the rest. They simply don’t see the point, and it’s not unreasonable. They ask: how will you live away from everyone you love? Why would you live without showering for weeks? Why are you doing this?

From inside the bubble, it’s easy to dismiss those questions; they simply don’t get it. But they often do, and they make a great point. Everyone here misses loved ones. We miss being clean, we miss walking outside without 10 kilograms weighing on us, we miss eating whatever we want, we miss knowing all about the news, we miss watching any movie or reading any book we want. Some people say that a stay at MDRS is just a two-week vacation, a relaxing time away from everything, and they sure are wrong. But those who think that it’s the opportunity of two weeks of acting like cool astronauts are missing the point too.

Yes, there’s the honeymoon period, where everything is brand new and exciting, and you don’t think you can get enough of it. Every day has its unexpected moments of fun, and of learning. But the routine sets in fast too. Your hair gets greasy, the spacesuits begin to hurt a little, the experiments don’t work that well, and you can’t get new material in anyway. You remember the time where you could leave work at 5 and sit in a park, breathing the fresh air like everyone else. The distinction between work and daily life gets blurry. Things get boring, and that’s the point. So, yes, why are we doing this?

It’s funny how, after writing so negatively, I still have no regrets about being here. I don’t think anyone in the crew does either, and I’d be sad to imagine people leaving the MDRS wishing they’d done something else. No, it’s not that glam. If any one of us ever walks on Mars, it probably won’t be with the grandeur of the giant leap for mankind, but as one of many starting a colony out there. We don’t do it because it’s cool, no, and certainly not for the fun (though we do have a lot of it). It’s work, and that’s all there is. And that’s fine. Everyone needs to work. We all sacrifice a bit of our comfort to give it to others, and the world moves onward a little. Nearly everybody doesn’t even have the privilege of wondering why they’re doing their job, and there are very, very few jobs that don’t get boring or tiring.

I like to think every person is a dreamer. Our dream is to work so that, someday, humanity will flourish somewhere else, away from its cradle. It’s no more or less valid than any other. Here, we have the chance of working towards that dream. There are sacrifices, but few are those who get to try and turn their dream into reality. We’re alone, yes. We’re dirty, yes. But we’re lucky.

GreenHab Report – March 10th

Crew 223 GreenHab Report – 10-03-2020

GreenHab Officer: Valentin BELLEMIN-LAPONNAZ

Environmental control: Ambient with Door open

Average temperature: 24.5°C

Low temperature: 20°C
High temperature: 30°C

Hours of supplemental light: 4 hours (from 9P.M to 1 a.m.)

Daily water usage for crops: 10.8 gallons

Daily water usage for research and/or other purposes: 0.8 gallon

Water in Blue Tank— 112 gallons

Time(s) of watering for crops: 2

Changes to crops: NA

Narrative: This morning, Luc FORTIN took care of the GreenHab, as I were on an EVA. He watered everything as a professional. This afternoon, I carried out the experience Music For Plants. I doubles the quantity of UV light. Nothing to report for the moment. For dinner, I harvested Basil, Cilantro, Oregano and Chive to make a green pea soup and a quinoasoto.

Harvest: 15g Basil / 5g Cilantro / 3g Oregano / 2g Chive

Support/supplies needed: NA

Science Report – March 10th

Research report 10 March 2020

Crew 223

Submitted by Crew Scientist Marion Lebrun

1. LOAC and Weather Station:

Nothing to report. Everything is working as it should.

2. MegaARES:

Nothing to report. Everything is working as it should. We are waiting a bit longer to collect another round of data.

3. Solar oven:

The oven was taken outside a second time on sol 8. As the sun was not very bright, it only heated the 600mL of water from 12°C to 45°C during the EVA time of the day. Although the water was not as warm as the first time (due to the lack of sun light), Florian is satisfied with the collected data and the photos he took of the experiment.

4. BackPack and LCVG:

Nothing to report.

5. Foreign languages (Human Factors):

The experiment is now over (it ended on sol 7). I have noticed remarkable progress in communication within the pairs. All three teams managed to do their best performances on the last day although the LEGO model to build was the most complicated of all seven. When we come back to France, the videos and pictures taken will be sent to the Human Factors department of our school to be thoroughly analyzed.

6. Group collaboration (Human Factors):

The experiment started on sol 8. Two groups of 3 crew members play “Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes”: they have 5 minutes to defuse a bomb placed on a Martian rover. Two experts have the bomb defusing manual and need to communicate the information to the defuser who only sees the bomb screen. Just like the first experiment, this one aims at studying the communication within the teams, between the defuser and the experts. It is too early to collect relevant results.

7. Crew members’ individual planning display:

The display of the sol schedules and the hyperlink to access the available Internet data are now ready but we still cannot find a way to display a hyperlink giving direct access to Mission Support emails. This is the last thing Blandine and I would like to achieve by the end of the mission.

8. Relaxation and positive psychology (Human Factor):

Everything works well. The whole crew has been getting used to our daily relaxation time, it truly regulates our mood and gives us a bowl of positive energy to finish the day.

9. Music for plants (GreenHab):

Nothing to report. It is still too early to notice remarkable results.

10. Spirulina growth (GreenHab):

Nothing to report. Everything is working as it should, nothing new.

11. Aerospring (GreenHab):

Nothing to report.

12. Water consumption monitoring:

Aurelien realized what was wrong with the monitoring: it is the way the buttons that classify the different water usages are coded that needs to be changed. Other than that, everything else is working.

13. Supernova research:

No new observation due to bad weather but Florian still hopes the weather will improve in the next few days.

EVA Report – March 10th

Crew 223 EVA Report 10-03-2020

EVA # 9

Author: Valentin Bellemin Laponnaz (GreenHab Officer)

Purpose of EVA: Changing the batteries for MegaARES and LOAC. Exploring Candor Chasma.

Start time: 08:59 AM

End time: 11:25 PM

Narrative: The purpose of this EVA was to change batteries from MegAres and LOAC and to explore Candor Chasma. We used the ATVs 1 and 3 and the rover Perseverance. Nothing to report during the change of the batteries. The exploration was awesome, a bit tired. We walked for approx 8km, up and down the Canyon. According to the footsteps, we went further than last crew so we’re proud of it. Everyone went safe and sound.

Destination: MegaARES and LOAC base and Candor Chasma

Coordinates (use UTM NAD27 CONUS): 12S0518494-4250679 and 12S0519800-4252000.

EVA Participants: Valentin Bellemin-Laponnaz (GreenHab Officer, EVA Leader), Aurelien Mure (Commander), Marion Lebrun (Crew Scientist), Clement Plagne (Journalist)

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

Mode of travel: Driving (2 ATVs and 1 rover) and walking

Vehicles used (If applicable): ATVs 1, 3 and Perseverance

Sol Summary – March 10th

Crew 223 Sol Summary Report 10-03-2020

Sol: 9 Summary Title: Tired crew

Author’s name: Aurélien Mure – Crew Commander

Mission Status: Routine

Sol Activity Summary:

The crew woke up at 6:50am. The sport session began at 7:00am. A few members of the crew have had a difficult night, and we have felt it during the day. Some of us took some rest after the EVA or at the beginning of the afternoon.

The EVA was a long range walk into candor, to go as far as possible. We have discovered new landscapes and really Martian Candor Chasma like.

We went through our classical science afternoon finishing with our Human Factor experiment and our relaxation and cohesive activity time.

Look Ahead Plan : Starting to think about packing our experiments.

Anomalies in work: None.

Weather: cloudy, 0°C at 7:00am, 12°C at 7:00pm

Crew Physical Status: All crew members safe and sound.

EVA: LOAC and MegaAres batteries changed. Candle Chasma exploration exploration

Reports to be filed: Journalist report, Operations report, EVA request, Green Hab report, EVA report, Astronomy report, Science report,

Support Requested: None

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