Crew 305 EVA Report 10-12-2024
EVA # 03
Author: Ian Pamerleau
Purpose of EVA: Initiation for Spruha and then data collection near and in the western part of Candor Chasma.
Start time: 10:00 hr
End time: 13:05 hr approximately
Narrative: EVA was led by Ian; Hunter and Spruha accompanied. We started the Spirit and Opportunity rovers at 257.0 hr and 196.7 hr, respectively, both with 100% charge. We traveled to Marble Ritual where Spruha was able to find a nice pebble sized rock to complete her initiation. It didn’t take long before she was ready to go onto our next destination, the fork in the road of Cow Dung and Gateway to Candor. Hunter was able to use his GPS to make sure we were at the correct location, at which point we disembarked the rovers. Right next to where we parked along the ephemeral stream, we were able to take our first measurement of the mission! We measured the width of the dry stream 3 times at around the same location and marked down the GPS coordinates for later analysis. Measurements were taken with a 100 m tape I brought along. We also began dropping flags in the areas where we stopped to take data. This way, if we forgot to take some form of data, we could do it on the way back for the flags. We continued walking in the stream bed and took multiple data points using the same process as before. We got a little bit into the Canyon before we had to turn back. We were able to find some fun features that were not stream measurements. Hunter was able to find a piece of petrified wood and either another one, or a dinosaur bone stuck in a conglomerate. We also saw many beautiful shades of chert and different animal tracks coming from low, shaded points in the stream where there were some ice pools still melting. We got back to the rovers and drove them back to the Hab. At the end of the EVA, Spirit was at 257.2 hr and 76% charge, and Opportunity was at 197.0 and 90% charge.
Destination: Marble Ritual; Candor Chasma
Coordinates (use UTM WGS 84): (518800E, 4251000N); (519100E, 4251490N) walk to (520199E, 4251403N).
Participants: Ian Pamerleau, Hunter Vannier, Spruha Vashi
Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map: drive MDRS driveway, Cow Dung Road to Marble Ritual. Then drive to the fork of Cow Dung Road and Gateway to Candor walking trail. Walk Gateway to Candor and a little bit of Watney Road, mostly following the river bed into the canyon itself.
Mode of travel: Rover to Marble Ritual (short stop) then rover to fork, walk river bed to the canyon.