EVA Report #10
Author: Aditya Arjun Anibha
EVA Date: 2nd January 2024
Start time: 1110
End time: 1340
Purpose of EVA:
Robot (ELF) Testing and Drone (FLiDAR)
Capturing drone LiDAR images (FLiDAR) of Candor Chasma
Testing initial robot maneuverability with a contingency plan of scouting potential terrain locations for further robot testing on another date
Narrative:
The Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA) commenced at 1110, led by Aditya (Crew Scientist) with Sara (Executive Officer/ Crew Journalist), Nathan (Crew Engineer), Gabriel (Health and Safety Officer). They started with Opportunity and Spirit at full charges – Opportunity at 100% and 152.8 hours, Spirit at 100% and 240.2 hours. The crew embarked on their Martian exploration by driving their rovers northward along Cow Dung Road before turning onto Galileo Road and stopping near the entrance of Candor Chasma around 1131. At arrival, Spirit was at 65% charge and Opportunity at 61% charge.
The crew then started by walking about 0.5 km into the Chasm to scout for a suitable testing location for the robot. After finding two suitable hills, Aditya set up the robot and with the assistance of Nathan controlled it to traverse 40 feet 3 inches and 102 feet 9 inches over mixed rocky and sandy terrain with highly uneven and unstable characteristics with the maximum slope angle between 30 and 45 degrees. Sara and Gabriel supported via videographic and measurement documentation. Next, Aditya initiated the FLiDAR (Drone-based LiDAR) scanning of the chasm for about 20 minutes while the rest of the crew would co-pilot and start exploring the chasm further. After FLiDAR scans were complete, the crew explored within a kilometer into the chasm and discovered frozen lakes, majestic vistas and diverse cavernous terrain with a range of rocky surfaces, mineral deposits and varied consistencies.
The crew then returned to their rovers and drove back to the Habitat, returning with Opportunity at 38% charge and 153.4 hours, and Spirit at 37% charge and 240.7 hours. The reentry process for the HAB commenced at 1340, concluding the Martian exploration.
This EVA involved meticulous planning, organization and time tracking to ensure the robotic exploration objectives were efficiently and successfully completed during the limited excursion time. It contributed many valuable insights into robot operation for exploration of varied flat, sloped, uneven and rocky terrains using variable wheel radii to overcome different degrees of rock size distributions. Overall, the EVA was executed with a resounding success with exploration, research and safety properly balanced and prioritized.
Destination: Candor Chasma
Coordinates (use UTM WGS 84): N 520300, E 4251500
Participants: Aditya Arjun Anibha (Crew Scientist), Nathan Bitner (Crew Engineer), Sara Paule (Crew Journalist), Gabriel Skowronek (Health and Safety Officer)
Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map: Drive north on Cow Dung Road 0110 and turn east onto Galileo Road 1104, and finally south on the same road until it intersects with the Gateway to Candor footpath. Then, head further east on foot.
Mode of travel: Driving and Walking