SOL: 7
Name of person filing report: Jas Purewal
Non-nominal systems: Drain under kitchen sink leaked again, but we have a temporary fix.
Notes on non-nominal systems: NA
ROVERS
Spirit rover used: No
Hours: (before EVA) NA
Beginning charge: (Before EVA) NA
Ending charge: (On return from EVA, before recharging) NA
Currently charging: Yes
Opportunity rover used: No
Hours: NA
Beginning charge: NA
Ending charge: NA
Currently charging: NA
Curiosity rover used: No
Hours: NA
Beginning charge: NA
Ending charge: NA
Currently charging: NA
Perseverance rover used: No
Hours: NA
Beginning charge: NA
Ending charge: NA
Currently charging: NA
General notes on rovers: NA
Summary of Hab operations: put notes here
WATER USE: 50 gallons
Water (static tank): 250 gallons
Static tank pipe heater (on or off): on
Static tank heater (On or off) off
Toilet tank emptied: No
Summary of internet: Good
Summary of suits and radios: optimal
Summary of GreenHab operations: None
WATER USE: 6 gallons
Heater: On
Supplemental light: Off
Harvest: None
Summary of ScienceDome operations: None
Dual split: (Heat or AC, On or Off) Heat, Off
Summary of RAM operations: (Tools used, work done) Plumbing adhesive and tape currently in main hab. Took needle nose pliers from the RAM, currently in the main hab.
Summary of any observatory issues: NA
Summary of health and safety issues: none
Questions, concerns and requests to Mission Support: Still waiting for pillows. Whilst we are conserving water, at our current rate of use we predict that we will be down to our last 50 gallons by Sol 11.
Journalist Report – November 20th
Sol: 7
Title: Martian Sunday
Author: Izabela Shopova, Crew Journalist
We made it through our first week on Mars. And celebrated Sunday with a very relaxed plan for the day. Well, relaxed by the crazy standards of Mars. Our crew engineer Judi repaired the leaking sink in the kitchen with the help of the XO, Caitie, the crew biologist watered the plants and planted new seeds in the GreenHab, we all did house chores and wrote in our journals.
In the afternoon we did another EVA – this time without our faithful companions – the rovers. Instead of riding them on the road, we took off on foot and explored the area around the Hab, looking for hydrous minerals in the dried river beds and on top of the ridge. We found so many seashells, a whole martian sea of sea shells, crunching under our feet, piling up on the side of the hill. The sunset light made the canyons below look like a multi-layered cinnamon and strawberry cake.
Back in the safety of the Hab we were uploading photos after the EVA , when crew biologist Caitie went to the GreenHub to water the plants, but when we called her on the radio she didn’t respond. Jennie and I went to check on her and found our crew biologist lying on the ground. We immediately initiated an emergency response by calling Hab on the radio and assessing the unconscious crew member. Long story – short: Catie was assessed and brought to safety inside the Hab when the rest of the crew finally revealed that it was all just an emergency response simulation that they had planned in secrecy. They all played their roles with gusto and conviction, so it was a great relief to find out that Caitie was well. HSO provided us with glowing feedback for our appropriate response and we had a quick overview of the first aid protocol before dinner.
Sunday also marked the end of my time with Paro. At dinner we took our last photo together. From this evening Jennie will be spending time with him and I won’t be allowed to cuddle him anymore. Next week will be a tough one.
GreenHab Report – November 20th
Sol 7
GreenHab Officer: Caitlyn Hubric
Environmental control: (heater, fan, door open?) heater on, door closed, 20% humidity
Average temperatures: 43.3ºC/13.5ºC
Hours of supplemental light: N/A
Daily water usage for crops: 22.6 L ≈ 5.97 gal ≈ 6 gal
Daily water usage for research and/or other purposes: 0 gal
Water in Blue Tank ~265 gallons
Time(s) of watering for crops: twice, morning and night, 9am-5pm
Changes to crops:
-Today I replanted multiple crops that haven’t grown since I started watering the greenhouse. I replanted the mint in the single planter on the wood pallet, I replanted 5 beans (bean bush contender) in the single pots on the shelves (middle row), I planted spinach by the spinach sign in the blue bin, I replanted some radish in the spots that I harvested the other day, and I planted 2 peas (super snappy peas) in the single pots on the top layer of the shelves. I only planted things that weren’t growing and followed the label they already had, I didn’t bring in any new plants.
-The beans currently growing look very happy as do the sugar snap peas.
Narrative:
-I hope that the plants I replanted will grow successfully so the future crews can enjoy a variety of fresh plants.
Harvest: (include which crop and mass in grams) N/A
Support/supplies needed: N/A
EVA Report – November 20th
EVA # 8
Author: Izabela Shopova
Purpose of EVA: Searching for hydrous minerals — clays, sulfates, silica — and/or carbonate salts. Obtaining additional rocks for engineering demonstration (for use with mechanical anchor prototype). Exploring area nearby habitat under alternate lighting.
Start time: 2:45 PM
End time: 4:00 PM
Narrative:
The crew went to explore the area around the Hab and the top of Hab Ridge to search for hydrous minerals. We followed a dried river bed for the first part of the expedition, then turned west and climbed up the side of the ridge. We were able to identify and collect all 3 of the minerals we were searching for. And in addition, we came across a big deposit of seashells at the top of the ridge. After taking photos of the locations of our discoveries, we turned around and walked back to the Hab, taking a longer route to the east. We ended the EVA with a walk around the base and a visual check, confirming that the tunnels and external walls don’t show any new damage, before entering the airlock and completing the EVA.
Destination: Hab Ridge Road
Coordinates (use UTM WGS 84): 518000, 4251000 to 518000, 4250000
Participants: CDR, COMM, ENGR
Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map:
Walking north from Hab via Sagan Street (1103) to Hab Ridge Road North (518000, 4251000). Then south along Hab Ridge Road (518000, 4250000). Returning via the same path
Mode of travel: Walking
Commander Report – November 20th
Sol: 7
Summary Title: “Caitie’s Down!”
Author’s name: Dr. Jenni Hesterman, Commander
Mission Status: Nominal
Commander Report:
After an evening of card games, the crew decided to sleep in and enjoy a slow start to their Sunday. After brunch, three crew members set out on foot for Hab Ridge Road to search for water on Mars and located hydrous minerals in the form of clays, sulfates, silica and carbonate salts. At the top of the path, they were surprised to find mounds of seashells, likely left behind when the Western Inland Sea retreated from Utah during the late Cretacious period, 100-60 million years ago. Upon return, the crew accomplished a visual inspection of the Hab and found no damage or anomalies.
While the crew was cooking dinner, Crew Biologist Caitie went to the GreenHab to accomplish the evening watering. When she did not check in as expected, the Commander the Crew Journalist went to her location for a health and safety check. We found her lying on the ground outside the GreenHab. She was responsive and said she may have passed out and wasn’t sure if she hit her head. We covered her with our sweaters, and called the other crew members to inform them of the situation, asking for the Health and Safety Officer (HSO) to respond ASAP. The HSO quickly arrived and assessed the patient, determining she was stable and recommending relocation inside the Hab. Caitie was able to stand and walk under her own power, with support from the crew.
After entering the Hab, we were informed by the XO, HSO and Caitie that this was an emergency response simulation they designed to test our crew’s crisis response protocols. We are at the halfway point of the mission and settled into our routines, so the exercise was a good reminder to fight complacency. When teams get comfortable with a high level of performance, overconfidence can lead to massive failures. We are thankful for this opportunity to hone our skills and competencies.
Crew Photos – November 19th
Crew Bios, Photos, Patch – November 13th
MDRS Crew 268
November 13-26, 2022
Name: Dr. Jennifer Hesterman
Colonel, US Air Force (retired)
Crew Title: Commander
Country: United States
Bio: Jenni is a retired Air Force colonel and counterterrorism expert. She has a doctorate in Higher
Education, MS degrees in Applied Behavioral Science and Military Operational Art and Science, and a BS
in Geography. She is an author, professor, public speaker and explorer who reached both the North and
South Poles.
Name: Elizabeth Balga
Crew Title: Health & Safety Officer
Country: United States
Bio: Elizabeth is an engineer specializing in spacecraft flight crew integration, test, and operations on
Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner Program. She holds a BS in Aerospace Engineering and an MS in aerospace
Astronautical Engineering. She has an Emergency Medical Technician certification, advanced and rescue
SCUBA certifications, and works part-time as a parabolic flight attendant for the Zero Gravity Corporation.
Name: Caitlyn Hubric
Crew Title: Crew Biologist & Crew Greenhab Officer
Country: United States
Research: Caitlyn is a student pursuing her bachelor’s degree in Astrobiology. She currently does
research in areas of chemical soil ecology and is working to help design the food
production/decomposition stage of a bioregenerative life support system for a colony. She plans to search
for microorganisms at MDRS that could potentially have plant growth promoting capabilities and could be
utilized in regolith based agriculture.
Name: Judith Marcos
Crew Title: Crew Engineer
Country: United States
Bio: Judith Marcos is a student still at the start of her engineering career. She is currently pursuing a
mechanical and civil engineering degree at MCC. In order to further develop her knowledge and
experience in engineering, Judith holds a position as an intern at the Tx Department of Transportation.
The previous year her team has also competed and placed in the 2022 Nasa MINDS competition.
Name: Jas Purewal
Crew Title: XO/Scientific Officer
Country: United Kingdom
Jas Purewal MSc Astrophysics. Senior research scientist working for a UK national lab. Co-founder and
Executive Director of The Analog Astronaut Community and Conference. In 2020, Jas built a low-fidelity
habitat and conducted her own analog mission in the UK.
Name: Izabela Shopova
Crew Title: Communication Officer
Country: Bulgaria (New Zealand, Australia)
Bio: Izabela is an engineer with 15 years experience in information management systems and process
optimisation, a popular writer of non-fiction books and a learning designer. She has a fascination with
extreme Mars-like environments and has participated in an Antarctic expedition in 2016, and traveled
through the Atacama desert in 2018. Izabela was a semifinalist for the first FMARS mission in 2014.
Strong supporter of the liberalisation of space, Izabela is working on developing an accessible interactive
learning experience for analog astronauts across the world.
Sol Summary – November 19th
Sol: 6
Summary Title: Lichens on Mars
Author’s name: Jas Purewal
Mission Status: Nominal
Sol Activity Summary: Crew headed out for a morning EVA to “The Peanut” via Cow Dung Rd and Galileo Rd. Collected 5 lichen samples that appeared to be different.
In the afternoon the crew had a round table session to talk about challenges and opportunities for women in STEAM followed by a discussion about being authentic as women in our professional life. We simulated an ankle break and how to treat it.
Look Ahead Plan: Make slides of the lichen collected to look at under the microscope. Commander, Communications officer and Engineer will do a walking EVA at 3pm to Hab Ridge Rd N. Searching for hydrous minerals.
Anomalies in work: None
Weather: Rather nice. Sunny, clear. No rain.
Crew Physical Status: Good
EVA: EVA 7 – Crew headed out for a morning EVA at 8am to “The Peanut” via Cow Dung Rd and Galileo Rd. Collected 5 lichen samples that appeared to be different.
Reports to be filed:
Commander’s report
GreenHab
EVA report
EVA request
Operations report
Sol Summary report
Journalist report
Support Requested: none
Operations Report – November 19th
SOL: 6
Name of person filing report: Jas Purewal
Non-nominal systems: NA
Notes on non-nominal systems: NA
ROVERS
Spirit rover used: No
Hours: (before EVA) NA
Beginning charge: (Before EVA) NA
Ending charge: (On return from EVA, before recharging) NA
Currently charging: Yes
Opportunity rover used: Yes
Hours: 104.3
Beginning charge: 100%
Ending charge: 67%
Currently charging: Yes
Curiosity rover used: Yes
Hours: 210.9
Beginning charge: 100%
Ending charge: 64%
Currently charging: Yes
Perseverance rover used: No
Hours: NA
Beginning charge: NA
Ending charge: NA
Currently charging: NA
General notes on rovers: All nominal
Summary of Hab operations: put notes here
WATER USE: 50 gallons
Water (static tank): 300 gallons
Static tank pipe heater (on or off): on
Static tank heater (On or off) off
Toilet tank emptied: No
Summary of internet: Good
Summary of suits and radios: optimal
Summary of GreenHab operations: None
WATER USE: 5.71 gallons
Heater: On
Supplemental light: Off
Harvest: None
Summary of ScienceDome operations: None
Dual split: (Heat or AC, On or Off) Heat, Off
Summary of RAM operations: (Tools used, work done) Plumbing adhesive and tape currently in main hab.
Summary of any observatory issues: NA
Summary of health and safety issues: none
Questions, concerns and requests to Mission Support: Still waiting for pillows.
Research Report – November 19th
Mid Mission Research Report
Crew 268 – All Woman Crew, Mars Society
November 13-26, 2022
Crew Commander: Jenni Hesterman (United States)
Executive Officer/Crew Scientist: Jas Purewal (United Kingdom)
Health and Safety Officer: Elizabeth Balga (United States)
Crew Biologist & Crew Greenhab Officer : Caitlyn Hubric (United States)
Crew Engineer: Judith Marcos (United States)
Crew Journalist: Izabela Shopova (Bulgaria)
Below is a detailed summary of the progress we have made during the mission.
Jenni Hesterman
Conducted crew education regarding strategies to enhance knowledge of self and maximize success working in diverse groups in a remote, austere environment. Training topics covered in the first half of the mission included how to take and use the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and the VARK Learning Preference Tool, and growing leadership, followership and mentoring skills. Supported the Intertribal Space Conference on Wednesday with a crew video. Assisted in the greenhab.
Jas Purewal
Emotion study is progressing well, no conclusions yet. Crew is submitting their surveys each day. QI of PARO is also progressing well. Have completed 2 scenarios for VR first aid training, one more scenario left.
Caitlyn Hubric
Sample Collection Update:
I have successfully collected multiple samples during the mission. I have collected 9 small amounts of visually different lichens. I also took many photos and videos of the lichen prior to sampling them. I have been using the book “Field Guide to the Lichens of White Rocks” that I found in the science dome to try and identify the species I have found. I plan to put my samples on slides and use the microscope to analyze them further. Lichens are of interest to me because they are able to survive in rocky regolith-like conditions.
I have collected 6 small samples from different plants I have found growing in regolith-like conditions. I collected branches, leaves, and when possible, flowers. I have also collected 4 samples of regolith from around the roots of different plants. I am going to inspect these samples and attempt to find and isolate microbial life, if any, that I find. I hope to find a microorganism that helps promote plant growth and/or water stress tolerance in these desert conditions. I also plan to test the pH and NPK values of the regolith samples.
I have collected 6 different samples of regolith from multiple different locations. I plan to test the pH and NPK values of these samples and compare them to regular dirt and the simulated martian regolith I work with from the exolith lab (MGS-1 Regolith Simulant).
Decomposition research update:
I have successfully set up 3 different compositions of substrate for my decomposition study. In method 1, I have combined wood pellets, brown rice, dead edible plants (that I brought with me), and grain spawn. For method 2, I combined wood pellets, dead edible plants, the roots and dirt surrounding the roots of the dead plants, and grain spawn. For method 3, I collected organic waste generated by the crew for the first 5 days of the mission and liquid spawn. The organic waste included coffee grinds, leftover bread/breadcrumbs, cardboard, and other inedible food waste.
I hope to not only generate food for my crew but to also recycle organic material that would otherwise just be thrown away. So far, I have healthy and speedy growth in my methods 1 and 2. These were inoculated a few days before method 3 as I had to let waste accumulate. I have high hopes that by the end of next week I will have mushrooms for us to share.
Judith Marcos
I have collected a variety of rock samples from Hab Ridge and the Intersection of Cow Dung Rd and Brahe Hwy. The samples will be cataloged by its variety in shape, texture and mass for a carry capacity test. My team’s prototype will be tested in the field next week regarding its usefulness with a limited amount of mobility and design defects.
Izabela Shopova
I have been making yogurt every night since Sol 3 and serving it to the crew, using the powdered milk I brought and kitchen utensils already available at MDRS, which demonstrates the feasibility of making the homemade yogurt part of the analog astronauts’ diet. The broccoli and radishes sprouts are developing quickly and will be ready for harvest next week. The crew is filling in their questionnaires, evaluating the quality of the yogurt on a regular basis.
I am gathering a wealth of knowledge and information about life at MDRS which will be invaluable for the development of my pre-mission and mission induction training for analog astronauts.
Yesterday I also completed my video response to the questions from school children from the Bulgarian Space Academy. They were all about Mars, space exploration, mars colonization and the life of the analog astronauts.
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