Crew 286 Sol 08 Summary Report 20-NOV-2023
Sol: 08
Summary Title: “Again We Are Six.”
Author’s name: Roger Gilbertson
Mission Status: Nominal
Sol Activity Summary: After dinner last night we experienced Scott (aka Groucho) performing an excellent music set in the Science Dome. He played an original composition on electronic keyboard, then played it again but engaged a specially designed digital filter which transformed the music to resemble what we would hear on the surface of Mars with its thin, cold atmosphere. After the show, we went to bed, eager to awake before sunrise, eager to hear the outdoor surface conditions report from Mission Support.
As the Sun rose above the eastern hills, we were given the "go” signal for our six-person EVA. But before leaving the habitat, we said goodbye to our visiting photographer Andrea, who was leaving sim so she could document our EVA, unencumbered by a suit. (As has been done with previous visiting media.) Her companion Caleb remained in-sim and joined us on our EVA. From then on Andrea was only a “ghost” and a fond memory.
Suited up, we walked to the RAM, carrying our helmets in their cases, then finished our preparations, closed the RAM door, performed a five-minute depressurization, and rolled up the door to a glorious martian morning.
The six of us carried a substantial amount of advanced music, photo, video and audio equipment, and made our way to the hills just north of the Observatory, where Maestro Groucho setup and performed another music set, this time in the open air, with all spectators in suits. As the end time of our EVA approached we returned to the RAM airlock and reentered.
The rest of the day involved various interior activities: vacuuming and sweeping the substantial amount of dirt that made its way in after the rains turned the surface to mud, sampling the prolific spirulina growth in the Science Dome and drying it so it can be returned to Cécile Renauld (MDRS 261 scientist and PhD candidate at University of Mons), video interviews, LiDAR scanning of the MASH vehicle, and casting of the 2nd half of the metal fabrication demonstration. We also learned that when reconstituted, dehydrated butter makes a very good mold release compound.
Look Ahead Plan: The science program will continue to monitor bacterial growth. Plaster molds are drying in preparation for a test metal casting, and we are mapping out the rest of our activities for the remaining sols.
Anomalies in work: none
Weather: sunny
Crew Physical Status: nominal
EVA: EVA 7 completed, request for EVA 8 submitted for tomorrow
Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist report, Photos, Operations report, Green Hab report, EVA 7 summary, EVA 8 request.
Support Requested: none