Crew 290 Sol Summary Report 11-01-2024
Sol: 5
Summary Title: Signs of life
Author’s name: Madelyn Hoying
Mission Status: Nominal
Sol Activity Summary:
The day began with science, with Chopper (Rebecca), Roots (Anna), Freebee (Anja), and PODO (Nicole) working out the pH and microfluidics studies. The first signs of life were observed out of the microfluidic devices! Melon (Madelyn) laid out a checklist for sample site selection in the field to optimize EVA output. After a lunch of leftover risotto, the EVA crew of Melon, Freebee, and Roots, with Funk (Ben) on CAPCOM, ventured out for the furthest expedition yet with an ambitious goal to reach Lith Canyon. Unfortunately, the rover batteries reached their limit at about halfway, necessitating a turn-around point near Tharsis Montes. Two diverse sample sites were investigated, with one in a valley between two Morrison Formation hills and another in a dried riverbed heading east into the Tharsis Montes region. Field tests gave clear indications of microbial life at the riverbed site, so the crew is excited to begin lab testing and compare those results to the smectite regions! REMI had another solid day of data collection, managing to squeeze 10 sites into the EVA. Funk is cooking his own, specially-developed space food recipe tonight of chana aloo, and the crew is impatiently waiting for a taste test. With water usage still remarkably low post-shower, the crew is looking forward to showers after another long sample collection mission tomorrow.
Look Ahead Plan: Sample collection in the field and science!
Anomalies in work: none
Weather: Windy, but less so than Sol 4
Crew Physical Status: nominal
EVA: 05 engineering EVA, with Anja and Anna
Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist Report, Greenhab Report, Operations Report, EVA Report, EVA Request
Support Requested:
Trash pickup tonight in the rear airlock
There is an old handheld GPS that was found on the shelf with the walkie talkies in the ground floor of the Hab. Is there a charger for this? It ran out of battery in the field today.