Sol Summary Report – January 5th

Crew 272 Sol Summary Report 05-01-2023

Sol: 4

SummaryTitle: EVAProtocols Revision andBirthsol Celebrations

Author’s name: Kshitij Mall

Mission Status: All nominal after a comprehensive EVA preparation session

SolActivitySummary: The crew woke up at 7:30 AM after getting a baby-like sleep necessitated by a long EVA with some navigational issues requiring the EVA crew to walk more than driving on a sunny day. I then played a birthday song for our Crew Journalist, Kenneth, who had his first birthsol on Mars. After many valuable suggestions by the Mission Support team, for safety and training purposes, the EVA today was called off. The crew completely understood the gravity of precise navigation and accurately telling the Mission Support about the routes chosen. A comprehensive EVA preparation session was carried out by me and Crew Geologist, Adriana, to teach all members about using navigational instruments and maps to not lose way on Mars. Chapters 5 and 6 of the handbook were also revised by the crew to better prepare for future EVAs. The breakfast for the day comprising pancakes was prepared by Greenhab Officer, Madelyn, and assisted by Kenneth. Anew bread recipe comprising cinnamon and brown sugar, which turned out to be a success. The Crew Journalist, Kenneth also covered video interviews of Arly (our XO) and Adriana while they have no way to escape his cameras. Each team member also took the daily personal survey and cognitive performance tests for Arly’s human factors experiments.

The Science Dome turned into a rock party (in literal terms) when Adriana analyzed samples collected from Marble Ridge and Compass Rock and undertook rock tutorial sessions for other crewmates. She organized each sample collected and began a spreadsheet of descriptions of each sample including its mineralogy, lithology, and any other notable features. She identified minerals such as azurite, malachite, garnet, and quartz-filled geodes and fossils including an ammonite, bivalve, and gryphaea specimen, as well as a bryozoan stem. Adriana also began to test her depositional environment interpretations by using 0.1 Molar hydrochloric acid to see if there was carbonate material in any of the samples she had collected. Adriana also examined other rocks that crewmates had collected and offered her best interpretations of the mineralogy and lithology.

In the GreenHab Madelyn was in action, monitoring the growth of Martian plants. She also planted “Black Nebula” carrots. The Crew Engineer, Mason brought the good news that the crew has resolved water consumption issues and created a personal record of around 20 gallons water consumption, which is 40% of what the crew gulped yestersol. In another news, Grogu, the cheerful Yoda, was finally roused from his slumber to participate in the birthsol celebrations of Kenneth. I secretly prepared the Black Magic cake, while leaving the decoration part to the more artistic crew member, Adriana. My idea was to create a black magic on Kenneth to write even more enthralling Journalist Reports. Kenneth has no complaints whatsoever as he feels younger and lighter on Mars. Arly and Mason helped inflate the balloons and also Grogu to decorate the Hab Sweet Hab. The crew is balancing life on Mars completing their research, learning how to be better and more efficient on EVAs, and celebrating crewmate’s birthsol. The dinner includes Cheese Raviolis and Garlic breads prepared by Mason and assisted by Arly. After the dinner, the crew plans to complete the daily survey requested by Andres. Tomorrow will be a challenging sol for the crew as they embark on their mission to successfully navigate to Candor Chasma.

Look Ahead Plan: Complete an EVA to Candor Chasma based on the input provided by MDRS Mission Support

Anomalies in work: None

Weather: Overcast conditions and colder temperatures for most of the day, calm wind conditions

Crew Physical Status: Good

EVA: None

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Operations Report, Journalist Report, EVA Request, Greenhab Report.

Support Requested: None

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