Sol: 11
Summary Title: The penultimate day
Author’s name: Andrew Wheeler
Mission Status: Nominal
Sol Activity Summary: Overcast, above freezing and potential for rain greeted us this morning. A complete contrast to the previous day. Two EVAs were planned to extend previous knowledge at Candor Chasma and White Moon. Prior to that, however, at 9:00am, we observed a minute silence in memoriam for the crew of Columbia on the 21st anniversary of their loss. Whilst the EVA team was away to Candor Chasma, concretion samples were processed and sorted for analysis. Lunch was the other half of the Hunza pie and very welcome indeed. The afternoon EVA to White Moon never got close due to the cold conditions. The turn around point for the rovers ended at a previous visited site past Cowboy Corner and so we expanded our investigations here. By good fortune, we were able to identify another concretion layer in the strata and located endoliths in a new setting. The EVA was wrapped up a little early as the distant snow capped mountains started disappearing behind misty cloud. Minutes after return, a sprinkling of rain pattered the roof. Burgers and chips were our last meal in simulation in the hab.
Look Ahead Plan: Tidying up the accrued data and the last analyses before leaving sim.
Anomalies in work: Nothing to report.
Weather: Overcast and warm under the clouds at 1C and 60% humidity. Temperature only rose to the low teens throughout the day. Snow appeared to be coating the distant mountains but only a sprinkling of rain was encountered at MDRS. The wind was faint to gentle during the day.
Crew Physical Status: Nominal.
EVA: EVA 19 with Steve, Scott and Alex to Candor Chasma. EVA 20 with Clare. Andrew and Rob to Cowboy Corner.
Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist’s Report, Greenhab Report, Operations Report, EVA report, EVA Request(s), Astronomer’s report (not needed)..
Support Requested: Nothing to request.