Crew 280 EVA Report 23-04-2023
EVA #8
Author: Ariadna Farres (HSO & Scientist)
The EVA had two goals:
Evaluate the feasibility of navigation strategies and finalize the navigation exercise for the crew.
Drone flight training around an area with obstacles.
Start time: 10:05 AM
End time: 12:10 PM
Narrative: This morning, the Hypatia I team evaluated the weather and the condition of the road before some crew members started their EVA. For this purpose, they inspected the terrain around the base, which was dry despite the rain of yesterday night. Having identified no muddy areas, they concluded that the road conditions around the base were good and decided to proceed with the EVA. The crew also discussed the possibility of returning to the base in case of finding wet terrain along the road closer to the destination, which was not the case.
After performing 5 minutes of depressurization in the front airlock, the EVA team took Perseverance and Spirit rovers and headed towards Robert’s Rock Garden to perform two different tasks: 1) find landmarks in the area and prepare the navigation exercise for the crew; 2) maneuver the crew’s small drone in an area with obstacles.
During the pass along Kissing Camel Ridge the EVA crew lost communication with the base, once the rovers were parked around Robert’s Rock Garden we managed to re-establish communication with the base by moving around and pointing the EVA leader’s antenna north. Once communication with the base was established, the EVA team split themselves into two groups. The first group, Mariona Badenas (Commander & Astronomer) and Carla Conejo (Executive Officer & Biologist) walked to an elevated area in one of the hills in Kissing Camel Ridge to perform the drone flights. The second group Ariadna Farrés (Scientist & HSO) and Cesca Cufí (Engineer) walked around the area identifying landmarks, mapping the area and planning the navigation exercise to perform next Thursday with the whole crew. The two groups maintained constant visual and radio communications.
To facilitate the communications between the EVA crew and the EVA leader, the EVA leader decided to switch between channel one and two on the radios. Channel one was switched on every 30 min to re-establish communications with the base.
Around 11:50 AM the team decided to return to the MDRS, which they reached at 12:10PM. Before entering the Hab, we followed the 5-minutes pressurization protocol.
Destination: Roberts Rock Garden
Coordinates (use UTM WSG 84): 518000 E, 4249000 N
EVA participants: 4: Ariadna Farres (HSO & Scientist) (EVA Leader), Mariona Badenas (Commander & Astronomer), Cesca Cufi (Engineer), Carla Conejo (Executive Officer & Biologist).
Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map: Drive on Cow Dung Road 0110.
Mode of travel: Drive on Cow Dung Road 0110 to Robert’s Rock Garden then walking around no farther than 1000 meters for sampling.