EVA Report #11 – January 11th

Crew 238 EVA Report 11Jan2022

EVA #11

Author: Robert T. Turner

Purpose of EVA: To collect geologic, bacterial and radiation samples.

Start time:12.20

End time: 15.00

Narrative: The MDRS Crew 238 Sol 9 extra-vehicular activity (EVA) went to the region designated "Baranca Butte," Site J, using the Highway 1101 with a stop planned at "Kissing Camels Ridge E," Site I, on the return to the Hab. The surface EVA participants were:
Executive Officer / Documentarian Pedro Marcellino, Engineer Simon
Werner, and Health / Safety Officer Robert T. Turner.

They utilized rovers Curiosity and Spirit to this transition to this geological site. EVA objectives were: geological sampling, survey and possible sampling of lichen lifeforms and a photographic survey.

This EVA team was designated EVA Team One. Travel to the previously mapped site was completed without incident taking twenty minutes. Once the two rovers were stationary at the main access road, exploration commenced on foot.

This region had an appearance quite Mars-like with orange-to-light brown strata. There were many small stones equally divided between those aforementioned colors and volcanic black rocks with indentions where bubbles of subsurface gas had left their mark on the cooling
rocks. Several possible water-eroded dry stream beds were noted. The smaller stones to pebble-sized rocks presented in an array of various colors from black, blue, green, yellow, orange, red and white.

Crew member Simon Werner sampled various rock samples and took a baseline measurement of the surface radiation. Rock and stone formations at this site suggested with their visual evidence that water must have flowed at this site in the past. There was minor evidence of lichen formations on the western rock facings but not in the frequency noted from previously explored sites on this mission.

As with other sites, the panoramic vistas to the horizon yielded more Mars-like quality. One Mars-like butte, "Barainca Butte," was also photographed with a height reaching an estimated two hundred to three hundred meters, perhaps more.

Crew member Pedro Marcellino had the opportunity to complete a wide array of photographic images of this site as well as crew members, Simon Werner and Robert T. Turner, who worked in their geological assessment of the varied surface samples.

Following completion of this two-hour site survey, all crew members returned to the twin rovers and a further stop was completed at the designated "Kissing Camels Ridge E," site for additional geophotography. After this was completed the EVA Team One made a successful return to the Hab facility without incident or injury.

This ended the planned EVA for MDRS Crew 238, Sol 9, EVA Team One.

Destination: Destination: Area I

Coordinates (use UTM NAD27 CONUS): N519000 and W4247000

Participants: Turner, Werner. Marcellino

Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map: Exit on MDRS Driveway Cowdung Road, then south toward coordinates 520000N and 4247300W. Park and walk west to Baranca Butte. On return to complete a quick follow up stop at Kissing Camels located N518300N and W4249100 to recover further samples and more detailed photographic samples of geographic features.

Mode of travel: Curiosity and Opportunity.

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