February 14, 2023 – Page 2 – Mars Desert Research Station

February 14, 2023February 15, 2023

EVA Report – February 13th

Crew 275 EVA Report 13Feb2023

EVA # 1

Author: Jeremy Rabineau (Crew Commander)

Purpose of EVA: Training in real-life EVA conditions: getting used to the spacesuits and driving the rovers.

Start time: 10:01

End time: 11:01

Narrative: This EVA was the first one for all three crew members. They used the rovers Spirit and Opportunity to reach Marble Ritual, where they arrived at t+15min. Once onsite, they performed a few tests with radio and tried to do the basic movements that they will have to do in their spacesuits (e.g., kneeling down and standing up) during future EVAs. They then explored the surrounding area walking within 500 meters of the rovers. They found a good location to set up the LOAC and Mega-Ares instruments close to Marble Ritual. The two EVAs dedicated to this set up are planned for 16Feb2023 and 17Feb2023. The corresponding EVA requests will be done one day in advance of each EVA, should the weather allow it. The EVA #1 crew was back to the MDRS at 10:53 and entered the Hab at 11:01, as per EVA request.

Destination: Marble Ritual

Coordinates (use UTM WGS 84): N4251000 E518500

Participants: EVA leader: Quentin Royer (Executive Officer/ Crew Engineer), Marie Delaroche (Crew Journalist), Alexandre Vinas (Crew Astronomer).

Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map: Drive Cow Dung Road 0110 to Marble Ritual (N4251000 E518500).

Mode of travel: Even if the destination was within 1 km of MDRS, the purpose of this EVA was to train using the rovers, so the crew drove there. Then they walked around this location within no more than 500 meters.

EVA # 2

Author: Quentin Royer (Executive Officer/ Crew Engineer)

Purpose of EVA: Training in real-life EVA conditions: getting used to the spacesuits and driving the rovers.

Start time: 14:30

End time: 15:30

Narrative: This EVA was the first one for the four crewmembers. The rovers Curiosity and Perseverance were used by the crew members after a 5-minute depressurization process. The EVA crew arrived at Marble Ritual 12 minutes later. The four crewmembers started to walk for the first time on a distant Martian soil with their spacesuits.

As they walked away from the rovers, the Crew temporarily lost visual contact with the MDRS station. The EVA leader and HabCom tried to communicate and were still able to do so.

The EVA #2 Crew trained walking, manipulating radios (plugging, unplugging) in order to make sure they will be able to do it in case of an emergency in the future. They also tried to draw the landscape in front of them on a notebook with their gloves.

At t+40 minutes, the Crew headed back to the rovers, and reached them 10 minutes later. The EVA #2 Crew arrived at the station at 15:23, entered the airlock and entered the Hab at 15:30, as per EVA request.

Destination: Marble Ritual

Coordinates (use UTM WGS 84): N4251000 E518500

Participants: EVA leader: Jérémy Rabineau (Crew Commander) / Alice Chapiron (Crew Scientist) / Adrien Tison (Crew Botanist) / Corentin Senaux (Health and Safety Officer)

Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map: Drive Cow Dung Road 0110 to Marble Ritual (N4251000 E518500)

February 14, 2023February 15, 2023

Journalist Report – February 13th

Sol 1 – The owl has landed

“The rocket stood in the cold winter morning, making summer with every breath of its mighty exhausts.”

Chapter 1 of The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury

I think it is safe to say that this morning, many of us found ourselves waking up before our alarm, set at 6:30 am. Although the night was rather short, we were up and running by 6:45 to begin our routine: our daily sleep diary and surveys, weighing session and physiological measurements (body temperature, heart rate, etc.). Corentin, our Health and Safety officer, then led the first workout session of the mission as we watched the sunrise from the corner of our eyes and through the thick, narrow Hab windows.

After taking our last crew pictures in front of the habitat, we gathered inside the Hab near the airlock, and Adrien officially began the simulation by closing the airlock door without a spacesuit for the last time. The excitement was palpable: we were now on Mars, on a month-long mission, tasked with over a dozen experiments by scientists waiting for us back on Earth.

Coincidentally, the beginning of the mission was marked by our first EVA, designed for us to experience life outside the Hab and get used to the spacesuits and life support system. Quentin, the crew engineer, Alexandre, the crew astronomer, and I stepped outside into the hostile Martian environment for the first time and drove out to Marble Ritual. After a short exploration on site, Alexandre and Quentin looked to find a suitable place to install the atmosphere monitoring instruments, LOAC and Mega Ares.

While we were out on our EVA, Adrien and Alice led inventories of their workspaces, the GreenHab and Science Dome. It was then their turn, along with Corentin and our commander Jérémy, to go out on their training EVA, during which they practiced writing and drawing while wearing their spacesuits.

The rest of the afternoon was very studious due to the two EVAs, everyone worked hard to prepare their daily reports, and had a few laughs while communicating with the GreenHab. Meanwhile, Adrien harvested tomatoes to feed the crew, a perspective which lifted our already high spirits. This first Sol bodes well for the next 26!

February 14, 2023February 15, 2023