Crew Photos – January 24th
Sol Summary – January 24th
Sol: 3
Summary Title: Testing the limits
Author’s name: Andrew Wheeler
Mission Status: Nominal
Sol Activity Summary: Sol 3 saw us preparing to see how far Martians are able to push themselves encumbered with the means of our survival on the red planet. Traverses to a number of distinctive topographic features were made both for navigation and endurance testing. Results are pending though the EVA members were very pleased with their efforts. The second EVA saw continued traction testing of the robot rover and deployment of a wheel mounted regolith sampler for evaluation. Within the hab, maintenance inspections of the backpack and helmet combinations were undertaken and further troubleshooting of the recalcitrant environmental sensor system proved fruitless. Finally, an invitation to join a livestream event for Igniting The Space Down Under was previewed and has been set for Australia Day 26th January, which is of course, Thursday 25th January at MDRS here on Mars.
Look Ahead Plan: Weather dependent, tomorrow will see an EVA to the Kissing Camel Ridge in search of carbonate concretions and an EVA north to the gully draining west from the Tharsis Montes in search of spectrometric targets.
Anomalies in work: Nothing to report.
Weather: Clear morning clouding over during the morning. Temperature increasing from -2 Celsius in the morning to double digits in the afternoon. Humidity fluctuated between 80% and 50%. No precipitation. Faint to no wind.
Crew Physical Status: nominal
EVA: EVA 5 with Scott, Clare and Alex . EVA 6 with Steve, Alex and Scott
Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist Report, Greenhab Report, Operations Report, EVA report, EVA Request(s). No Astronomer report (too cloudy for telescopic observations).
Support Requested: See operations report.
Operations Report – January 24th
SOL: 3
Name of person filing report: Rob Hunt + Scott Dorrington
Non-nominal systems: None
Notes on non-nominal systems: None
ROVERS
Spirit rover used: Scott EVA #5
Hours: 242.4 (start) – 242.6 (end)
Beginning charge: 100%
Ending charge: 66%
Currently charging: No
Opportunity rover used: Alex and Claire EVA #5
Hours: 156.5 (start) – 156.8 (end)
Beginning charge: 100%
Ending charge: 69%
Currently charging: No
Curiosity rover used: N/A not used
Hours:
Beginning charge:
Ending charge:
Currently charging:
Perseverance rover used: N/A not used
Hours:
Beginning charge:
Ending charge:
Currently charging:
General notes on rovers:
Opportunity – nominal
Spirit – nominal
Summary of Hab operations:
WATER USE: 427.5 gal.
Water (static tank): 393.2 gal.
Static tank pipe heater (on or off): On
Static tank heater (On or off): On
Toilet tank emptied: no
Summary of internet: Nominal
Summary of suits and radios:
Donning area negligibly re-arranged for better circulation space during donning and doffing,
Calico ‘head’ covers for suits vary in circumference so they were sorted and number-matched to ensure best fit,
Battery voltage on all suits is now recorded before and after EVAs. This has revealed at least two that lose approx 2V during an EVA. i.e. approx 13.5V to 11.5V.
Two-piece suits
Suits #1 – #6 were checked for structural integrity. Some minor repairs made e.g. loose screws tightened (not overtightened)
Suits #1 – #6 chargers labelled/placed according to suit numbers,
Charger with label #3 missing and charger with label #12 was relabelled.
One-piece suits
Suit #10 – strap-ends tidied with zip-ties to make donning less confusing. This is planned for the other suits,
Suit #11 (small size) – power issue resolved. Problem was the toggle switch which has a ‘neutral’ setting between ‘Off’ and ‘On’. It is the only one of the 11 suits with this type of switch. Best solution is to swap out with same type switch as others. Other solutions might be general team awareness and/or a check list for donning area.
Summary of GreenHab operations: put notes here
WATER USE: 6.5 gallons
Heater: Off (broken). Space heater on overnight
Supplemental light: On
Harvest: 14g basil, 21g dill, 38g kale, 57g red cabbage,
Summary of ScienceDome operations: put notes here
Dual split: nominal
Summary of RAM operations:
Collated and photographed existing stock of ‘tape’,
Collated and photographed existing stock of cable ties,
Used 2 x 3” screws to repair door striker on Room 4
Summary of any observatory issues: Observatory not used.
Summary of health and safety issues:
Hazards identified:
Questions, concerns and requests to Mission Support:
Rolls of fabric tape, insulation tape, clear packing tape please (see pic of current stock),
Large cable ties please (for the walkway tarp)
Bread knife
2L plastic drink jug
Silicon baking spatula
GreenHab Report – January 19th
Crew 290 GreenHab Report 19-01-2024 (Sol 12)
Greenhab Officer: Ben Kazimer
Heater off (not by choice), fan off, door closed
Average temperatures: 1128: 92.3⁰F, 11%, 1310: 79.4⁰F, 30%, 1956: 52.2⁰F, 18%
Hours of supplemental light: nominal 4 hours overnight
Daily water usage for crops: 11.25 gallons
Daily water usage for research and/or other purposes: N/A
Water in Blue Tank 114.05 gallons
Time(s) of watering for crops:
1128: 11 gallons watering, ¼ gallon misting
Changes to crops: Trimming, watering, and organization of all plants. Light harvests in some herbs
Narrative:
A bittersweet last chapter in Funk’s Martian Greenhab operations. For my last sol in sim and as acting greenhab officer, I closely inspected every plant to trim off dead leaves, give a healthy watering, thorough misting, and thoughtful repositioning within the greenhouse layout. The music choice was soft alternative/folky music, fitting for the last sol mood. All the plants were doing pretty well, aside from the cucumbers… The cuke in the back blue planter didn’t do too well with the thermal cycling overnight due to the faulty heater, but the 2 plants in the front of the greenhab faired a bit better. I figured an in-depth tomato fruit inventory was worthwhile for all those following along at home and the results are in for the most fruitful plant… Tomato Number 4 with 45 fruit showing!!! Don’t worry, I’m as surprised as you are! For context this was solely based on the number of fruit, not combined size. While more difficult to measure in these facilities, I would eyeball that victory to (unsurprisingly) Tomato Number 9 To be fair, Tomato No. 4 did bear the 3 orange tomatoes our crew shared tonight before dinner (out of this world flavor). Side note: the heater is currently not functioning properly, but I have faith that Roots, Mission Support and myself can return it to nominal status tonight.
The plants are happy and the greenhab is clean! Everything should be in order for 291 to come in and continue the MDRS Greenhab legacy!
Harvest: 2 grams Sage, >1 gram chives, 6 grams basil, 23 g tomatoes (!)
Support/supplies needed: Heater is on the fritz again
Sol Summary – January 19th
Crew 290 Sol Summary Report 18-01-2024
Sol: 12
Summary Title: Peanut butter for breakfast and dinner
Author’s name: Madelyn Hoying
Mission Status: Nominal
Sol Activity Summary:
Today is the last day of sim for Crew 290. We had a luxury breakfast of pancakes and Funk (Ben)’s dalgona coffee, prepared some science write ups, and reminisced on our time in sim. At 3:00, sim officially came to an end and the crew ventured outside for the first time without EVA gear in two weeks. While Melon (Madelyn) drove to a nearby town with Mission Support (shoutout to Ben Stanley again), the crew enjoyed the afternoon out of sim exploring the area around Hab Ridge. The last-minute cleaning and packing has begun after dinner, with the crew on schedule for a 10am departure tomorrow and a handover to Crew 291!
Look Ahead Plan: Packing up
Anomalies in work: none
Weather: Cloudy
Crew Physical Status: nominal
EVA: 11
Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist Report, Greenhab Report, Operations Report, EVA Report
Support Requested:
Trash pickup in the rear airlock
Operations Report – January 19th
Crew 290 Operations Report 19-01-2023
SOL: 12
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: No
Hours: (Before EVA)
Beginning Charge: (Before EVA)
Ending Charge: (After EVA and before recharging)
Currently Charging:
Curiosity rover used: No
Hours: (Before EVA)
Beginning Charge: (Before EVA)
Ending Charge: (After EVA and before recharging)
Currently Charging:
Perseverance rover used: No
Hours: (Before EVA)
Beginning Charge: (Before EVA)
Ending Charge: (After EVA and before recharging)
Currently Charging:
General Notes on Rovers: Not applicable
Summary of Hab Operations:
WATER USE: 17.6 gallons
Water (static tank): 254.9 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: gallons
Heater: on
Supplemental Light: off
Harvest: 2g of sage, 1g of chive,
Summary of Science Dome Operations:
Continued imaging and cleaned up the science dome.
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:
There are three bags of trash in the rear airlock.
Crew Photos – January 19th
Journalist Report – January 19th
Journalist Report
Nicole Chan, Crew 290 Journalist
01.19.2024
Sol 12
The morning started with whisking noises in the kitchen outside our rooms. The crew began to get ready one by one, curious about what’s cooking. Turns out Ben (Funk) is making dalgona coffee by whisking instant coffee with water and sugar to make a layer of foam on top of the traditional cup of coffee. With some ice, the drink felt like such a delicacy after being on Mars for two weeks. The crew all enjoyed this special treat coupled with new apple and cinnamon pancakes made by Anja (Freebee). What a great way to start the day!
Today was our last full day at MDRS and also the day we will be “breaking sim.” The crew looked forward to hiking the hills around the station without the weight of the spacesuit. So, in the afternoon, the crew, along with REMI, headed out to the surrounding area to take in the sights and the fresh air. It was great to be able to see the station and the red-striped hills without having a layer of helmet in front of our faces. Suffice to say that it was a long-awaited break from our usual Martian routine. As the sun sets, the crew gathers in the upper Hab to contemplate dinner plans and assign station checkout tasks. Since we’re scheduled to leave the station around 1000 tomorrow, most of the checkout and packing tasks will need to be completed before the end of Sol 12.
Currently, Freebee is cooking up our last dinner on Mars with a variety of entrees including some red-sauce pasta with a side of leftover chicken pot pie from last night. Our recent evening conversations have centered around the kinds of Earth food we have been missing the most, with fresh fruit being the most popular by far. (So we were excited to have a taste of Funk’s harvest of tomatoes from the GreenHab today. It exceeded our expectations!) As we get to work tonight, we reminisce about our time here on Mars, from the first time setting foot in the station to the first time suiting up for EVAs. We’re all so grateful to be here and have learned a lot about what it takes to be a Martian during the past two weeks.
Photo of the Day: 290-01_19_2024 enjoying the walk.jpg
Mission Summary – January 19th
Mars Desert Research Station
End-of-Mission Report
Crew 290 – Project MADMEN
Jan 7th – Jan 20th, 2024
Crew Members:
Commander and Health and Safety Officer: Madelyn Hoying
Executive Officer and Health and Safety Officer: Rebecca McCallin
Crew Scientist: Anja Sheppard
Green Hab Officer: Benjamin Kazimer
Crew Engineer: Anna Tretiakova
Crew Journalist: Wing Lam (Nicole) Chan
Crew Projects:
Title: Project MADMEN
Author(s): Madelyn Hoying and Rebecca McCallin, with full-crew participation
Objectives: Our mission objective is to identify and characterize microbial life via metabolic assays based on the sulfur cycle.
Summary: Soil samples have been collected from 8 field sites with diverse geologic profiles that indicate potential for microbial activity. Measurements in the field include salinity, temperature, and ATP readings at surface level, 3-inch depth, and 6-inch depth at each site. Starting on EVA 07, pH measurements are also conducted in the field at surface and 6-inch depth. In the Science Dome, these samples are diluted and incubated in our novel microfluidic device to promote microbial growth for detection, then flushed after 24 hours to investigate through microscopy, with our first set of samples showing growth. pH measurements are taken of the soil samples in a dilution with various salts found on Mars that could also promote metabolic activity of extremophiles. The crew targeted evaluation of at least 6 sample sites, and met this target.
EVAs: 6 (EVA 04, 06, 07, 08, 09, 11). One field site (EVA 04) was collected from a member of the Curtis foundation, where gypsum and sandstone were prominent under a smectite bed indicating a depositional environment with water followed by a period of dry climate. EVA 06 resulted in 2 field sites: one from a valley between two Brushy Basin members with evidence of anhydrite, to contrast with another collection site in a dried riverbed with conglomerate oyster reefs. EVA 07 saw sample collection in alternating siltstone and mudstone bands with gypsum deposits, with field pH measurements introduced into the procedure. EVAs 08-11 expanded the geologic diversity of our sample sites.
Title: Evaluating Psychosocial Impacts of Mars Mission Architectures
Author: Madelyn Hoying
Objectives: This project seeks to compare psychosocial interactions among crew and emergency response capabilities between Mars mission architectures. Results from this single-site architecture test will be compared to previous dual-site architecture experiments developed and tested by MIT.
Summary: As noted in the mid-mission report, the on-site investigator does not read questionnaire results while participating in the analog mission; as such, a “current status” check can only show the number of completed surveys. All participants have been submitting daily surveys, with one participant having missed one survey.
EVAs: None (although EVA inputs from other projects are valuable to the study).
Title: Ground Penetrating Radar for Martian Rovers
Author: Anja Sheppard, PhD Candidate in Robotics at the University of Michigan Field Robotics Group (PI: Katie Skinner)
Summary: This project is aimed at characterizing novel uses of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) for Martian applications. GPR is a sensor often used for understanding subsurface features, such as water deposits and geologic formations. There is currently a radar sensor on the Perseverance rover on Mars. However, very little work combines GPR with other sensor modalities, such as stereoscopic cameras. This research project utilized a custom data collection robotic platform titled REMI (Robotic Explorer for Martian Imagery) to explore various terrains and geologic sites in the MDRS area with a suite of sensors. Over the course of the field expedition, REMI collected about a terabyte of camera, GPR, positional data at a total of 48 sites. This data will be further processed by the University of Michigan Field Robotics Group for training machine learning models after the expedition is complete.
Despite a challenging shipping experience from Michigan to Utah, the robotic platform REMI performed well in the field. Only one EVA had an unrecoverable issue. Any minor issues with the platform were solvable in the field with EVA suits and gloves on. REMI was also transportable in the MDRS rovers, which enlarged the data collection radius considerably. One challenge was the reduced battery life of the robot and its sensors due to the cold weather. In terms of diversity of collection sites, REMI was able to meet its data collection targets.
EVAs: 8 (03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 11).
Crew Photos – January 18th
You must be logged in to post a comment.