Journalist Report – January 16th

Nicole Chan <nicolec081204>
Attachments
8:54 PM (1 minute ago)
to mdrs-mission-support

Journalist Report

Nicole Chan, Crew 290 Journalist

01.16.2024

Sol 9

A bit of a later start to the workday today as the crew got up one by one. We had interesting conversations while Ben (Funk) and Anja (Freebee) took turns making chocolate chips and blueberries pancakes. With our EVA #9 scheduled for 1230, Madelyn (Melon) briefed the EVA crew, which included Rebecca (Chopper), Freebee, and myself (PODO), on the geological sites of interest that we should be targeting today. We soon began to suit up and head out to the airlock for depressurization.

We headed off in our rovers to the area before Kissing Camel Ridge, where there are hills displaying layers of multi-color deposits. Our goal was to get a sample that will contain that color gradient. Chopper and I scouted out multiple sites at the foot of the hill with this gradient of white, green, then deep red soil. I took plenty of pictures of the surrounding areas as we explored for post-EVA analysis and debrief. Since we budgeted extra time for the EVA, we took our time weighing our options before selecting the best site. Similar to yesterday, we began taking temperature, salinity, ATP measurements and collected some soil for loading onto microfluidic devices. This took up most of the EVA time while Freebee led REMI through various terrains and collected more ground-penetrating radar data. When we reconvened at the rovers to perform the pH measurements, Freebee joined our efforts and it was great synergy. We headed back to the Hab on time and shared our findings with the rest of the crew. Overall, we had a pretty good time in the field today, woohoo!

The sol’s work continued! Freebee, Chopper and I headed to the ScienceDome to perform the daily pH measurements of the soil samples in different reagents and to process the microfluidic devices from today’s sample collection. Although it sounds like a lot of work, the crew always make time to advance the MADMEN science objectives. We make it fun too, with music playing in the background and fun chatter as we watch the Martian sunset. Time passes quickly when we settle into a routine, which can be said about our mission as well. As we are planning out our last few EVAs on Mars, we plan to maximize our time here at the station. Concurrently, we are also making plans for our first day back on Earth, where we’ll be celebrating our collective endeavors on Mars and bidding our farewells. I’m sure it’ll be a bittersweet goodbye when the time comes.

Photo of the Day: 290-01_16_2024 awesome views on the drive.JPG

EVA Report – January 16th

Crew 290 EVA Report 16-01-2024

EVA # 09

Author: Madelyn Hoying

Purpose of EVA: MADMEN and REMI data collection at site of interest, identified on the way to Kissing Camel Ridge (EVA 08) site.

Start time: 1230

End time: 1530

Narrative: Many MADMEN sites were explored, with holes dug (and filled in afterwards) at many sites to evaluate the gradient in rock type from sandy to green tuffaceous to red clay. Once a site was identified with the full gradient covered in our 6-inch depth, MADMEN sampling proceeded smoothly. REMI was also able to collect from several sites over a range of terrain. Of note, this EVA site had the most comms blackouts; the crew handled this well, and no problems arose.

Destination: Near Kissing Camel Ridge

Coordinates (use UTM WGS 84): N4249500, E518000

Participants: Rebecca McCallin (XO), Anja Sheppard (Crew Scientist), Nicole Chan (Crew Journalist)

Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map: Drive south on Cow Dung Rd until reaching the site identified on EVA 08, then park and walk to investigate.

Mode of travel: Driving and walking

Vehicles to be used (If applicable): Curiosity and Opportunity

GreenHab Report – January 16th

Crew 290 GreenHab Report 16-01-2024 (Sol 9)

Greenhab Officer: Ben Kazimer

Heater on, fan off, door closed

Average temperatures: 1012: 75.7⁰F, 12%, 1421: 81.0⁰F, 15%, 1623: 78.6⁰F, 15%

Hours of supplemental light: nominal 4 hours overnight

Daily water usage for crops: 7 ¾ gallons

Daily water usage for research and/or other purposes: 2 gallons

Water in Blue Tank 137.3 gallons

Time(s) of watering for crops:

1012: 5 gallons watering, ½ gallon misting, 1421: ½ gallon watering, ½ gallon misting, 1623: 1 gallon watering, ¼ gallon misting

Changes to crops: harvested cilantro

Narrative:

It has been a riveting match of tug-of-war between the tomatoes and me. I’m doing my best to keep the climate constant inside the greenhouse but these warm days and cold nights lead to great temperature swings and frequent monitoring. Everyone is still alive but they oscillate between stressed and thriving throughout the day. It is an emotional rollercoaster out in this little green patch of the desert, but I’m sticking with it for these plants! I’m upping the water dosages as that always seems to help, whether direct to the soil or in the general vicinity for misting. The tomatoes are still showing an ever-increasing number and volume of fruit, I’m still hopeful Crew 290 will be able to split at least one cherry tomato before our time at MDRS concludes. Other positive news is that the herbs are thriving and I was able to trim back the cilantro a decent bit, a fitting garnish for our big Taco Tuesday feast tonight! The dill from yesterday is the gift that keeps on giving, today in the form of compound butter to top my fresh whole wheat honey bread! (Note: Heater is operating at nominal status, thank you for support last night!)

Harvest: 33 grams cilantro

Support/supplies needed: None!

Sol Summary – January 16th

Crew 290 Sol Summary Report 16-01-2024

Sol: 9

Summary Title: pHunctional pHamily

Author’s name: Madelyn Hoying

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

Chocolate chip pancakes were such a hit that we had to revisit them for a late pre-EVA breakfast today. With Melon (Madelyn) on CAPCOM, the crew of Chopper (Rebecca), Freebee (Anja), and PODO (Nicole) ventured to the site identified on yesterday’s EVA for another round of MADMEN and REMI collection. During the EVA, Funk (Ben) baked bread and autoclaved water, and Roots (Anna) imaged all of our previous MADMEN samples. For dinner, Funk made taco bowls for Taco Tuesday and taught PODO to chop cilantro. Tonight, the crew will make ISRU clay items courtesy of Roots (who took the initiative to collect smectite and experiment with methods to make it into moldable clay). The crew is in good spirits as we head into our final targeted MADMEN EVA tomorrow.

Look Ahead Plan: A long hike in EVA gear, off of rover roads, for MADMEN’s (hopefully) final sample site

Anomalies in work: none

Weather: Warm and windy

Crew Physical Status: nominal

EVA: none

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist Report, Greenhab Report, Operations Report, EVA Report, EVA Request

Support Requested:

Perseverance rearview mirror – broken glass has been disposed of in the RAM as instructed.
Water filter beeping, per previous communications

Operations Report – January 16th

Crew 290 Operations Report 16-01-2023

SOL: 9

Name of person filing report: Anna Tretiakova

Non-nominal systems: None

Notes on non-nominal systems: Not Applicable

ROVERS

Spirit rover used: No

Hours: (Before EVA)

Beginning Charge: (Before EVA)

Ending Charge: (After EVA and before recharging)

Currently Charging:

Opportunity rover used: Yes

Hours: 155.8 hours

Beginning Charge: 100%

Ending Charge: 74%

Currently Charging: No

Curiosity rover used: Yes

Hours: 263.8 hours

Beginning Charge: 100%

Ending Charge: 73%

Currently Charging: No

Perseverance rover used: No

Hours: (Before EVA)

Beginning Charge: (Before EVA)

Ending Charge: (After EVA and before recharging)

Currently Charging:

General Notes on Rovers: Perseverance mirror shards were discarded in the RAM metal waste basket. Rovers are in nominal condition.

Summary of Hab Operations:

WATER USE: 17.6 gallons

Water (static tank): 321.4 gallons

Static tank pipe heater (on or off): on

Static tank heater (on or off): on

Toilet tank emptied: No

Summary of Internet: internet is nominal during times 18:00 to 22:00

Summary of Suits and Radios: Radios nominal. Suits nominal.

Summary of Greenhab Operations:

WATER USE: 2 gallons for science dome and 7.25 gallons Greenhab.

Heater: on

Supplemental Light: off

Harvest: 33g cilantro

Summary of Science Dome Operations:

Continued imaging the microtubular devices, making new ones and testing the pH.

Dual Split Heater or AC: On

Summary of RAM Operations: (Tools used, work done):

Measuring tape was used to measure the water level. Some work on Remy the Robot.

Summary of any observatory issues: Nominal

Summary of health and safety issues:

All crew in good health and happy spirits. No safety issues.

Questions, concerns and requests to Mission Support:

– The beeping water filter, but that is already being dealt with.

Journalist Report – January 18th

Journalist Report

Nicole Chan, Crew 290 Journalist

01.18.2024

Sol 11

The Sol began with sunny and clear skies, which was a great sign to carry out EVA 11 which had been postponed from yesterday. With the smell of cinnamon rolls warming up in the oven, the crew got ready for the day around the dining table. Madelyn (Melon) sat down with the crew to go over the EVA logistics before Anja (Freebee), Ben (Funk), and Anna (Roots) began to suit up. After strapping in REMI at the back of the rover, the crew headed out to the region around White Rock Canyon and Aonia Terra. The goal is to perform a final sample collection for MADMEN goals while REMI explores the new terrain at Aonia Terra. Melon served as CAPCOM and gave the crew support in the site search and targeting process.

Learning from previous EVAs, the crew brought a hammer and chisel to handle the harder rock terrain that was expected. These tools came in handy and saved the crew a lot of trouble when collecting the subsurface samples at three- and six-inches depth. From the CAPCOM interactions, it sounded like the preliminary field tests produced results that correspond to the geological studies that Melon had talked about in the EVA briefing. The crew took many awesome photos of the site and had fun scaling the hills as they scouted the area. It seems like a running theme on our mission so far: no matter how tiring EVAs are or how much work we have to do, we do what is needed to stay on schedule and have fun at the same time. I often found myself inspired by the crew’s ingenuity and perseverance to find solutions whenever unexpected issues arose.

In the late afternoon, the crew, led by Rebecca (Chopper) worked on imaging the incubated soil samples and measuring their pH. We planned to maximize the science output we can get before leaving for Earth on Sol 13. With our last soil sample collection completed today, we’ll be spending today and tomorrow checking for changes in the samples’ pH measurements. There have already been some interesting things happening in the microfluidic devices captured under the microscope!
Photo of the Day: 290-01_18_2024 martian explorers.jpeg

Operations Report – January 15th

Crew 290 Operations Report 15-01-2023

SOL: 8

Name of person filing report: Anna Tretiakova

Non-nominal systems: The furnace.

Notes on non-nominal systems: The furnace stopped working twice today (had error 13). This was directly related to the increase in wind speed. The average wind speed was 35 km per hour.

ROVERS

Spirit rover used: Yes

Hours: 241.8

Beginning Charge: 100%

Ending Charge: 50%

Currently Charging: No

Opportunity rover used: No

Hours: (Before EVA)

Beginning Charge: (Before EVA)

Ending Charge: (After EVA and before recharging)

Currently Charging:

Curiosity rover used: No

Hours:

Beginning Charge: (Before EVA)

Ending Charge: (After EVA and before recharging)

Currently Charging: No

Perseverance rover used: Yes

Hours: 282.1

Beginning Charge: 100%

Ending Charge: 53%

Currently Charging: No

General Notes on Rovers: The mirror on the perseverance rover was cracked and 3 sharp glass shards ended up falling on the ground. At the end of the EVA, the 3 shards were put in the glove box. The mirror for perseverance needs to be replaced and the shards disposed of.

Summary of Hab Operations:

WATER USE: 9.8 gallons

Water (static tank): 339.0 gallons

Static tank pipe heater (on or off): on

Static tank heater (on or off): on

Toilet tank emptied: No

Summary of Internet: internet is nominal during times 18:00 to 22:00

Summary of Suits and Radios: Radios nominal. Suits nominal.

Summary of Greenhab Operations:

WATER USE: 4.5 gallons

Heater: on

Supplemental Light: off

Harvest: 33g of dill.

Summary of Science Dome Operations:

Continued working with pH sensors, imaging samples, preparing samples and incubating samples. This was done to both new and old samples.

Dual Split Heater or AC: On

Summary of RAM Operations: (Tools used, work done):

Measuring tape was used to measure the water level.

Summary of any observatory issues: Nominal

Summary of health and safety issues:

All crew in good health and happy spirits. No safety issues.

Questions, concerns and requests to Mission Support:

How should we proceed with the broken mirror on perseverance? Are you going to replace the mirror and dispose of the shards?

There is a “No Burn” trash in the rear airlock.

EVA Report – January 15th

Crew 290 EVA Report 15-01-2024

EVA # 08

Author: Madelyn Hoying

Purpose of EVA: MADMEN data collection at the edge of Kissing Camel Ridge, with REMI collection in the Rock Garden.

Start time: 1230

End time: 1530

Narrative: The crew are now settling into the EVA routine in the field, with sample collection and field evaluation running smoothly for both MADMEN and REMI. This site was a bit more difficult for soil collection given the geomorphology at the area of interest. A rock outcrop extended partially over the intended collection site, necessitating some creative maneuvers to reach the site in the suits. The dispersed rocks provided a benefit too; a large one near the site acted as a lab bench with a flat, elevated surface for pH measurements. REMI successfully covered 12 sites in the 3-hour EVA, with time to spare. Overall, this confirms the scheduling needed for our EVAs: we can comfortably scout, select, and evaluate 1 MADMEN sample site with 2 crew members in 3 hours.

Destination: Kissing Camel Ridge

Coordinates (use UTM WGS 84): N4249500, E518000

Participants: Madelyn Hoying (Commander), Benjamin Kazimer (GreenHab Officer), Anja Sheppard (Crew Scientist)

Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map: Drive south on Cow Dung Rd until reaching Kissing Camel Ridge, then park and walk along the south side of the ridge and in the Rock Garden area to find ideal sample sites. Note: comms blackout area is expected behind the ridge; this will be accounted for in field procedures.

Mode of travel: Driving and walking

Vehicles to be used (If applicable): Spirit and Perseverance

Copyright © The Mars Society. All rights reserved. | Main Site