Crew Photos – December 19th
Journalist Report – December 19th
Culinary Feats, and Cosmic Camaraderie"
Today started on a high note with Peter’s double feature on morning music. Ian prepared a satisfying breakfast of eggs and potatoes, giving the crew the energy boost needed for a busy schedule. After breakfast, Ian, Spruha, and Rashi began gearing up for our EVA. Ian was focused on gathering more stream measurements, Spruha was timing Ian’s measurements and taking additional tire readings for her research, and Rashi was there to assist them both with their tasks.
Back at the Hab, Peter managed communications and prepped for cognitive testing, Hunter tackled GreenHab tasks and cooked lunch, and Monish worked on organizing his sensor data and evaluating what could still be accomplished during the final stretch of our mission.
Once the EVA team returned, we all sat down to enjoy a lunch of Beef/Veggie Stir Fry with rice and mushrooms. It was a well-earned meal and a nice break in the middle of a productive day. After lunch, we took turns participating in Peter’s cognitive testing, while the rest of the crew worked on their respective projects. The afternoon was filled with writing research reports, sharing stories about life and family, and preparing for upcoming submissions.
As the day wound down, dinner prep began. Monish started making chicken curry, while Spruha prepared a delicious potato curry. With one of our final days in the simulation coming to a close, we decided to spend the evening together. The plan? Finish Pulp Fiction, play a few rounds of Beat Saber, and wrap up with One Night Werewolf.
It was a day full of teamwork, research, and moments of connection. With just a short time left in the mission, we’re making the most of each day together—on Mars and beyond.
EVA Report – December 19th
Crew 305 EVA Report 19-12-2024
EVA # 11
Author: Ian Pamerleau
Purpose of EVA: Stream measurements, samples, and observations on rover improvements.
Start time: 10:00 hr
End time: 13:24 hr
Narrative: Ian led the rest of the Spool Kids (Rashi and Spruha) on the EVA today. We took Opportunity and Spirit out to Zubrin’s Head and White Rock Canyon. At the start of the EVA, the rovers had 198.3 hr and 258.6 hr, respectively and 100% battery each. We headed south through Kissing Camel Ridge and past Zubrin’s Head. We then got out of the rovers and took some observations on Herme’s tire performance in different terrains of the main ephemeral stream that flows nearby (note it was only with a single tire; Hermes is still not operational). As Spruha and Rashi took those observations, Ian took fine-grain sand samples within the stream for Hunter. We then headed SE along the main channel until we came to a large tributary that flows from the NE. The team climbed the shallow slope a good way up taking a few width measurements along the way. Whenever we took a measurement, Spruha wanted to time how long it took Ian to take one by himself (with a rock holding one end of the tape) vs how long it took with Rashi helping. This was done to better understand how a rover could help astronauts in the field. For meaningful, robust time comparisons, we had to spool up the measuring tape in between Ian taking a measurement by himself and doing it with Rashi’s help (hence the name Spool Kids). After a few measurements, we headed back to the rovers and drove them south to White Rock Canyon. We took some more timed measurements here as well as another fine-grained sand sample for Hunter. We did not have time to head to Barrainca Butte, so we returned to the Hab after collecting data at White Rock Canyon. At the end of the EVA, Opportunity had 198.8 hr and 58% battery; Spirit had 259.1 hr and 66% battery.
Destination: East of Zubrin’s Head; White Rock Canyon
Coordinates (use UTM WGS 84): 520459E, 4248598N; 520329E, 4247523N
Participants: Ian Pamerleau, Rashi Jain, Spruha Vashi
Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map: MDRS driveway, Cow Dung Road south a little past Zubrin’s Head for stop 1. Stop 2 was even further south near White Rock Canyon. Head back north the same way we came down.
Mode of travel: Rovers & walking
Journalist Report – December 18th
Lights, Camera, Mars: A Day in the Life of Crew 305 at MDRS
Evenings at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) follow a familiar rhythm. We ate dinner, turned in our reports, AND scrubbed the Hab clean for the media day tomorrow. After showers and some final tidying, the crew gathered to discuss the next day’s agenda: Media Day. Once plans were set, Crew 305 switched gears, diving into a couple of games of One-Night Werewolf. It’s a game of strategy, bluffing, and reading people, which made it both entertaining and oddly fitting for a crew navigating simulated Martian life. By the end of the night, some crew members headed to bed, while others continued to work. Meanwhile, I turned back to Life of Pi, which is now getting interesting. Piscine is at the sea, on a raft, alone with a Bengali tiger!
We had an early start to the morning. Hunter cooked some savory oatmeal, with chili oil and some scallions harvested from the Green-Hab. At 8:30 a.m., Dhruv Khullar from The New York Times arrived with his crew: producer Xan Parker, cameraman Alan Jacobsen, and sound engineer Mike Fugal. Dhruv asked each of the crew member questions about what they study at Purdue, what they’re working on, what their research on MDRS is on, experiences of living in the Hab (good, bad, and surprising), and what is their expectation of when we will land on Moon. Most of us pegged the first Martian landing somewhere between 2038 and 2050. The idea of a permanent presence, though, carried broader estimates—ranging from the late 21st century to early mid 22nd century.
After the interviews, Hunter and Rashi led a tour for the filming crew through the Science Dome, the Observatory, and the Green-Hab. Rashi returned to the Hab, and Spruha and Monish joined Hunter and the filming crew to tour the Repair and Maintenance (RAM) module. We all got together to prepare lunch—a collaborative effort by Rashi, Spruha, and Monish—of Black Bean Burger Burritos and Bowls, topped off with iced tea, brewed by Hunter the night before.
In the afternoon, EVAs took center stage. Ian, Hunter, and Spruha headed out with their media counterparts—Dhruv, Alan, and Mike—to explore the terrain. Stream measurements, paleosol samples, and terrain analysis kept everyone busy, while the cameras documented every move. By 3:00 p.m., the EVA team returned, dusty but satisfied. The rest of the crew helped them unstrap and settle back into Hab life.
The remainder of the day unfolded at a quieter pace. Peter answered questions about his cognitive research, while others worked on their projects, tackled coursework, or simply relaxed. As the sun dipped lower, the Hab settled into its usual hum of activity. Some moments were productive, others reflective, but all part of the larger mission—learning what it takes to live, work, and thrive on Mars. Hunter prepped dinner, and we all got to submitting our reports for the day.
Operations Report – December 18th
Crew 305 Operations Report 18-12-2024
SOL:10
Name of person filing report: Spruha Vashi
Non-nominal systems: None!
Notes on non-nominal systems: None!
ROVERS
Spirit rover used: Yes
Hours: (before EVA): 258.3
Beginning charge: (Before EVA) 100
Ending charge: (On return from EVA, before recharging):90
Currently charging: Yes
Opportunity rover used: Yes
Hours: (before EVA): 197.8
Beginning charge: (Before EVA) 100
Ending charge: (On return from EVA, before recharging):87
Currently charging: Yes
Curiosity rover used: No
Perseverance rover used: Yes
Hours: (before EVA): 296.2
Beginning charge: (Before EVA) 100
Ending charge: (On return from EVA, before recharging):93
Currently charging: Yes
General notes on rovers: Oppy’s identifying paper on the keychain is gone.
Summary of Hab operations: Operations were standard.
Water Use (please use both methods to estimate water usage)
Time of measurements: 7pm
1) Per formula:49.0125 gallons
2) Smart Home Dashboard: 27.74 gallons
Water (static tank, remaining gallons):318.01
Static tank pipe heater (on or off): On
Static tank heater (on or off): On
Toilet tank emptied (no or yes): No
Summary of internet: No internet issues
Summary of suits and radios: None
Summary of GreenHab operations: No major greenhab operations, Hunter spent some time harvesting and checking on the crops.
WATER USE: 5 gallons
Heater (On or Off): On
Supplemental light (hours of operation): 5-10pm
Harvest (name, weight in grams): Cilantro, 20 grams.
Summary of Science Dome operations: No science dome operations.
Dual split (Heat or AC, On or Off): Automatic functions running.
Summary of RAM operations: Tidied up RAM, no operations in there.
Summary of any observatory issues: No issues.
Summary of health and safety issues: No issues.
Questions, concerns and requests to Mission Support: None!
Crew Photos – December 18th
GreenHab Report – December 18th
Crew 305 GreenHab Report 18Dec2024
GreenHab Officer: Hunter Vannier
Environmental control (fan & heater): Heater and fan on automatically.
Average temperatures (last 24h): 86 F
Maximum temperature (last 24h): 94.8 F
Minimum temperature (last 24h): 78.6 F
Hours of supplemental light: 1700 – 2200
Daily water usage for crops: 5 gallons
Daily water usage for research and/or other purposes: 0
Water in Blue Tank (200-gallon capacity): 125.75 gallons
Time(s) of watering for crops: 9:30 am, 6:45 pm
Changes to crops: harvested cilantro
Narrative: The thyme has shown significant growth in the past two days, and the herbs generally keep proliferating. The cucumbers enjoyed their morning and evening watering, though it seems the cucumbers that are in contact with the east wall of the GreenHab are more prone to withering; there are a few yellow leaves near their base. A lot of radish microgreens are sprouted and can be harvested soon. A few more sunflowers sprouted, but the pea shoots have still not made a full appearance. These will likely be enjoyed by the next crew rather than ours. We harvested 20 g of cilantro, 10 for lunch today (black bean burger burritos) and 10 g for dinner (Jambalaya).
Harvest: 20 g cilantro
Support/supplies needed: none
Sol Summary – December 18th
Sol: 10
Summary Title: Lights, Camera, Fire!
Author’s name: Peter Zoss
Mission Status: Active
Sol Activity Summary:
Today was a unique one. We started earlier than normal to meet a special guest entering sim for the day with us. Spruha, Monish, and Rashi worked together to make a nice black bean burger tortilla lunch for everyone. Then, Ian, Spruha, and Hunter left on an EVA in the afternoon with our guest, heading out towards Kissing Camel Ridge for some more dry stream measurements and paleosol sample collection. Monish had two of his sensor packs up and working around the MDRS buildings collecting environmental data. Peter, Monish, and Rashi monitored comms from the HAB. Hunter put together a nice dinner in the evening. The evening will be spent relaxing a little more after the long day everyone had working on their research and talking to our guest.
Look Ahead Plan:
The next EVA will be tomorrow, Sol 11. Ian will lead Spruha and Rashi on a mission down south near White Rock Canyon for dry stream channel width measurements. Monish, Hunter, and Peter will monitor comms from the HAB. Peter will collect the final data for his research at MDRS tomorrow. EVA 11 will be the second to last one.
Anomalies in work:
None.
Weather:
Today was sunny and warm with little wind.
Crew Physical Status:
Everyone appears in good health.
EVA:
EVA 10 saw Ian, Spruha, and Hunter bring our guest out towards Kissing Camel Ridge for some more dry stream measurements and paleosol sample collection. Lots of data was gathered, especially for the slightly shorter timeframe – under 2.5 hours!
Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist Report, Greenhab Report, Operations Report, Crew Photos, EVA Report, and EVA Request
Support Requested:
None
EVA Report – December 18th
Crew 305 EVA Report 18-12-2024
EVA # 10
Author: Ian Pamerleau
Purpose of EVA: Stream measurements, samples, rover observations, and media day.
Start time: 12:45 hr
End time: 15:00 hr
Narrative: Ian led the EVA with the accompaniment of Hunter, Spurha, and the media team. We took a bit more time than usual to get to our location south of Kissing Camel Ridge (KCR) for some great shots of Dhruv in the rover by the film crew. We departed from the Hab at about 12:55 hr with Perseverance, Spirit, and Opportunity at 296.2 hr, 258.3 hr, 197.8 hr (respectively), and 100% battery for all. We made our way south through the gap of KCR and stopped the rovers where the main stream cut through the road perpendicularly, a little east of Robert’s Rock Garden. We then disembarked the rovers and headed west towards the Rock Garden. Spruha and Ian began taking stream width measurements while Hunter took riverbed sand samples to see if they would match paleosol on cut banks upstream. As we conducted our field work, Dhruv asked us questions about why we were taking samples/measurements, where we were, and what we expected to find from our work, which we happily answered. After we took some samples and measurements west of the stream, we headed along it and got some measurements of tributaries to the northeast, this time with help from Dhruv. We then headed back to the rovers and drove them back through KCR. Dhruv’s film team got a good shot of him and Ian coming through the gap on Perseverance. Because we had enough time, we stopped a little north of the ridge to get a few more samples and measurements and stumbled upon someone’s used campfire circle. After we conducted all the field work we needed, we headed back to the Hab. At the end of the EVA, Perseverance was at 296.8 hr and 93% battery, Spirit was at 258.6 hr and 90% battery, and Opportunity was at 198.3 hr and 87% battery.
Destination: Robert’s Rock Garden & North of Kissing Camel Ridge
Coordinates (use UTM WGS 84): As far west as 518189E, 4248992N; as far east as 518782E, 4249214N. Stopped at 518313E, 4249626N for sampling and measurements on the way back.
Participants: Ian Pamerleau, Spruha Vashi, Hunter Vannier, Dhruv Khullar & Film Crew
Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map: MDRS driveway, Cow Dung Road south through Kissing Camel Ridge
Mode of travel: Rover to about 518522E, 4249136N & walking
Crew Photos – December 17th
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