EVA Report – February 5th

Crew 274 EVA Report 05-02-2023

EVA # 7

Author: Nicholas S. Pender, HSO

Purpose of EVA: EEVAC-1 (supply cache) data collection to ensure safe usage for future EVAs.

Start time: 09:30 AM

End time: 12:45 PM

Narrative: EVA #7’s purpose was to exercise an emergency scenario requiring the use of EEVAC-1 (the supply cache) located at coordinates N4248400, E519300. The MDRS hab location was used as a simulated location for an Earth supply drop that overshot it’s intended target, landing 3 hiking hours from base. In this scenario, two crew members (Nick and Bill) “drove” to the landing site (they didn’t actually drive to the landing site for this exercise), and upon arrival, their rover could not restart. Nick and Bill had to abandon the supply drop collection mission and return back to the hab on foot. At 9:35 AM, with an initial supply of 4 gel packs and 1.5L of water per person, Nick and Bill began their trek (from the MDRS) on foot, accompanied by the safety team (Sarah and Tony) on Perseverance. The safety team leap-frogged Nick and Bill ensuring positive line-of-sight and conducting occasional wellness checks. Consuming 1 gel pack every 30 minutes, averaging a pace of 2.4 mph, and with one rest stop along the way, Nick, Bill, and the safety team arrived at EEVAC-1 at 10:21 AM. Nick and Bill collected 3 additional gel packs and 1L of water from the cache while the safety team collected supply cache performance data. The water resupply required a maneuver that Nick and Bill rehearsed in space suits the previous evening, and it was executed exactly as rehearsed. At 10:32 AM, Nick and Bill resumed their trek South on Cow Dung Road, with the safety team following. Shortly after departing the cache, the charge on the safety team’s rover dropped to 61%. Since the remaining required distance beyond the cache was only 1 mile, the safety team decided to continue following Nick and Bill on foot, always keeping them in eyesight and comms range (the rover was parked around Zubrin’s Head at the bend and the Safety Team could not see the EVA team). It was during this period a break in sim occurred. A dog and his owner approached the safety team, and the dog became aggressive nipping Sarah on the leg. See HSO report for further details. With one final rest stop, the remaining scenario played out as intended, with Nick and Bill continuing the remaining 1.5 hours back to the MDRS hab. Their hike completed at 12:42 PM, and the crew reentered the airlock at 12:45.

*Note* There were multiple breaks in sim due to high vehicle traffic on Cow Dung Road.

Destination: South on Cow Dung Road.

Coordinates (use UTM WGS 84): N4247600, E520100

Participants: Nicholas Pender (HSO), Bill O’Hara (Journalist), Sarah Guthrie (Commander), and Tony DiBernardo (Journalist)

Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map: EVA #7’s (map provided) purpose is to drive to EEVAC-1 deployed at N4248400, E519300 via south on Cow Dung Road near Zubrin’s Head.

Mode of travel: Walking/Rover: Percy

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