Category: EVA Report

Crew 207 EVA Report 22-Mar-2019
EVA #4

Author: Diane Rothberg

Purpose of EVA: Scout specific areas for launching, flying, mapping and landing drones that will be used to create a 3D printed map of the MDRS Hab area.

Start time: 9:45
End time: 11:45

Narrative: Mapped two areas outlined in drone deploy software. Had drone do video inspection of Hab roof. Had Part 107 novice drone pilots practice flying the drone both manually and automatically.

Destination: Hab area

Coordinates 4255000 x 518000

Participants: Dean Jin (XO), Tom Baldwin (ENG), Diane Rothberg (GHO)

Road(s) Route 1103 staying within 1 km of the Hab

Mode of travel: walking

Crew 207 EVA Report 20 Mar 2019

EVA #3

Author : Julielynn Wong

Purpose of EVA: Allow Part 107 novice drone pilots to (1) fly a Mavic Pro drone with a standard controller in a symmetric figure of 8 flight pattern; (2) prepare to conduct an outdoor inspection of the MDRS habitat roof under VLOS in a simulated emergency drill

Start time: 14:40

End time: 16:10

Narrative: Software issues led to the amendment of today’s EVA plan. We modified our plan to move ahead on drone flight testing that was planned for later on this mission.

The weather was clear and sunny. We walked halfway to North Ridge (4251500 N / 518250 W).

A demo flight of VTOL, pitch, yaw, roll, and autonomous landing was piloted by XO using the Mavic Pro in Mode 2 stick configuration. ENG then flew the drone, familiarized himself with the flight controls, and attempted to perform a symmetric figure-of-8 while maintaining altitude, and landed the drone. HSO then flew the drone, familiarized herself with the flight controls, and attempted to perform a symmetric figure-of-8 while maintaining altitude, and landed the drone. The drone remained stable despite high gusting winds present during the entire flight.

ENG and GHO then collected soil samples for analysis using soil sieves 3D printed by SCI and HSO. XO performed a test flight for a bird’s eye view inspection of the MDRS habitat for a planned emergency simulation.

We identified the following useful items to 3D print for an EVA at MDRS:

Headset ear piece

Destination: Halfway to North Ridge

Coordinates: Halfway to 44251500 N / 518250 W (North Ridge); our GPS device ran out of batteries and will be replaced by XO

EVA Participants: Dean (XO), Tom Baldwin (ENG), Diane Rothberg (GHO)

Roads and routes per MDRS Map: Road 1103

Mode of travel: Walking

Crew 207 EVA Report 19-Mar-2019

EVA #2

Author: Tiffany Ni

Purpose of EVA: The goal of this EVA was to reach the highest point near Cow Dung Road that directly leads into MDRS from the highway turnoff to help us conduct drone mapping and 3D printing a
high-resolution map.

Start time: 1410h

End time: 1600h

Narrative: After a 5 minute depressurization, our EVA team (Julielynn, Kevin, and Tiffany) checked the state of the rovers – they were charged and ready. Kevin and Tiffany drove Curiosity while Julielynn drove Spirit. Our departure from the Hab was at 1410h. We unplugged our rovers and headed out along Entrance Road and turned onto Cow Dung Road. We continued along Cow Dung Road, passing Kissing Camel Ridge and Zubrin’s Head. We parked the rovers along the right side of Cow Dung Road – 100m away from the Cattle Guard – and began our hike. The hills around Cattle Guard did not appear safe for a hike on foot so we decided to walk to the fence instead. Here, we used the GPS device to determine the exact coordinates for our flight planning software for drone mapping (0520349, 4247084). This is far more precise than the approximated coordinates we initially determined from the map of MDRS. Next, we turned the rovers around and drove along Cow Dung Road. We stopped at Zubrin’s Head and again, using our GPS device, we determined the exact coordinates (0519362, 4248196). We arrived back at the Hab at 1600h with 97% battery for Curiosity (84.4h) and 66% battery for Spirit (85.1h).

Destination: Cattle Guard

Coordinates: Cattle Guard (0520349, 4247084), Zubrin’s Head (0519362, 4248196)

Participants: Julielynn Wong (Comms, EVA Leader), Kevin Ho (HSO), Tiffany Ni (SCI)

Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map: Cow Dung Road

Mode of travel: Driving and Walking

Crew 206 EVA Report 14 Mar 2019
EVA #14

Author : Jérémy Auclair

Purpose of EVA: The EVA has three purposes :

– Maintenance of the LOAC, replacement of the battery

– Final tests of the simulation space suit on a long EVA

– Exploration and photography of Galileo road and the beginin of Chandor
Chasma

Start time: 9:22 am

End time: 11:25 am

Narrative: This morning the weather conditions looked perfect : a very
low wind, sunny with some clouds and a higher temperature than
yesterday. After the engineering checks we went straight to the LOAC,
changing the battery took us about 10 minutes. We then took the rovers
to drive to the east end of galileo road. We parked the rovers at 09:55
am at the end of galileo road and started walking down cactus road. We
continued walking for 45 minutes, making small pauses to take pictures
and investigate plants and rocks. Benjamin, who wore the space suit, was
feeling fine event an hour after the begining if the EVA. We arrived at
a relatively big canyon (compared to White Rock Canyon), we went down
and walked down into it. We continued walking for 10 minutes, talking
pictures, and at 10:40 am we decided to head back to the rovers in case
Benjamin started to feel tired or hurt quickly. We took half of the time
to arrive at the rovers. At 11:00 am we got it the rovers and started
driving back to the Hab. On the way back to the rovers I noticed some
nasty rain clouds north of our position, so I decided to make a final
stop at the LOAC position on our drive back to make sure the rain
protection was well attached. I just made a few changes and we drove
back to the Hab. We entered the airlock at 11:20 am and finished the EVA
at 11:25 am.

Destination: LOAC and Weather Station location, Galieo Road and begining
of Chandor Chasma

Coordinates: 518500/425700 (LOAC and Weather Station), 519700/4251900
(East end of Galileo Road)

EVA Participants: Jeremy Auclair (CMD, EVA leader), Benjamin Auzou
(COMMS), Cerise Cuny (HSO)

Roads and routs per MDRS Map: Cow Dung Road, Galileo Road

Mode of travel: Driving and Walking

Crew 206 EVA Report 13Mar2019

EVA #13

Author: Cerise Cuny

Purpose of EVA: This EVA will allow us to do some maintenance on the
LOAC and weather station (hygrometry temperature captor). In addition to
that, we will go on an exploration hike at 518600/4248500 that today’s
EVA teams spotted as an interesting place.

Start time: 9:14 am
End time: 10:42 am

Narrative: After the 5 minute depressurization, we checked the water
levels and the rovers’ batteries. We left the station at 9:26 am and
arrived to the LOAC three minutes later. We placed the hygrometry and
temperature captor at the feet of the LOAC, in the same plastic bag than
the battery to protect it from the rain. We left the LOAC location at
9:29, lost communication with the hab at 9:32 am. We did a first stop
not far before Kissing Camels Ridges, and walked a bit (518214/4249859).
At 9:55 we took back the rover to go farthest to the south. We stopped
at 10:03 am at 519433/4248119. We walked for a bit in canyons but
quickly the wind became stronger. I decided to turn around, to go back
directly to the rovers and to the hab. At some point, we couldn’t hear
very well what people were saying in the radios, and we were pushed by
the wind. We arrived to the rovers at 10:19 am and after an 11 minutes
drive we arrived to the station. We picked up some garbage bags that
were pushed by the wind. We entered the main airlock at 10:37, grateful
to be protected from the cold wind.

Destination: LOAC and Weather Station location, Points of interests in
the south.

Coordinates (use UTM NAD27 CONUS): 518500/4257000 (LOAC and Weather
Station), 518214/4249859, 519433/4248119.

Participants: Jérémy Auclair (CMD), Aurélien Mure (XO), Cerise Cuny
(HSO, EVA leader), Norbert Pouzin (GHO)

Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map : Entrance Road , Cow Dung Road

Mode of travel: Driving and Walking

Crew 206 EVA Report 12-MAR-2019
EVA #12

Author: Gaspard Thieulin

Purpose of EVA:
After the wind of past days, the LOAC is back in the Hab for inside measurements but we need to redeploy it outside for the last week. We updated the water protection for these rainy days.

Start time: 09:25 am

End time: 11:14 am

Narrative:
This EVA was quite rich in goals, and we successfully fulfilled every one of them. First we headed up to the LOAC and the weather station, using Spirit to drive Norbert and me, and Curiosity with Benjamin and Aurelien and all our heavy stuff. We had to switch the battery of the LOAC and check on the weather station.
To perform the battery switch, I used our "EVA tracking" app, and its new protocol mode. Following simple vocal instructions, we were able to replace the battery without depending on HabCom giving us instructions. While doing so, I noticed the hygrometry sensor of the station was out of batteries, which we will change on the next EVA.
After the first step of the morning, we took back the rovers to go to White Rock Canyon at 0943. We had to use Spirit, knowing its batteries are weaker than the others, so we were very careful about our driving all the way there. In the end, we were able to stop at our planned location with 74% left on spirit and more than 80% on Curiosity at 0958.
We went for a little walk inside and around the Canyon, fulfilling the second goal of the EVA : taking footage for the after-mission movie. While doing so, we had a funny incident with Norbert who found a deep water pound by mistake : his foot went down 50cm according to his words ! Using the "EVA tracking" app, I was even able to note this happened at precisely 1028.
We ended both the walking and the fiming with rovers shots at 1053. We then headed back to the Hab, again being extremly careful to our driving to save some Spirit’s battery, especially knowing it goes down much faster after 70%. Indeed, Spirit arrived to the bar of 60% at 1102, still far from the Hab. On the road, we also had a little issue with Curiosity, stopping for what appeared to be an engine issue, at 1107. Restarting the rover allowed us to safely arrive back to the MDRS at 1110.
In the end, I’m able to say the last purpose of the EVA, proving an "EVA tracking" app can work and be useful, is a success, providing me with detailed data on our EVA.

Destination: LOAC and Weather Station location, White Rock Canyon

Coordinates: 518500/425700 (LOAC and Weather Station), 52200/4247400 (White Rock Canyon)

EVA Participants: Gaspard Thieulin (NG, leader), Benjamin Auzou (COMMS), Aurélien Mure (XO), Norbert Pouzin (GHO)

Roads and routs per MDRS Map: Entrance Road, Cow Dung Road (South)

Mode of travel: Rovers and Walking

Crew 206 EVA Report 11-MAR-2019
EVA #11

Author: Benjamin Auzou

Purpose of EVA:
After the wind of past days, the LOAC is back in the Hab for inside
measurements but we need to redeploy it outside for the last week. We
updated the water protection for these rainy days.

Start time: 09:59 am

End time: 11:04 am

Narrative:
This EVA was , a replay of our EVA#2 of 25th February. The same team and
the same goal.
After our engineering checks (water and rovers), we took Spirit and
Curiosity to drive to the LOAC location. The sky was blue and the sun
was shining on the martian landscape, so the EVA was quiet on the side
of weather.
We managed to install the station and attach it to the ground with pegs
and rocks. It took less time than on EVA#2 and in less than 45 minutes
the weather station and the LOAC were ready to restart their science.
We arrived at the station and entered the airlock at 1059. A successful
one our long EVA !

Destination: LOAC and Weather Station location

Coordinates: 518500/425700 (LOAC and Weather Station)

EVA Participants: Benjamin Auzou (COMMS, EVA leader), Gaspard Thieulin
(ENG), Cerise Cuny (HSO), Jérémy Auclair (CMD).

Roads and routs per MDRS Map: Entrance Road, Cow Dung Road

Mode of travel: Walking and Driving

Crew 206 EVA Report 09-MAR-2019
EVA #9

Author: Norbert Pouzin

Purpose of EVA:

The purpose of this EVA was to test our new ‘SUPAERO spacesuit’ on a short exploration EVA, at Kissing Camels Ridge West.

After our EVA #6 where we tested it near the Hab and made basic nominal checking, we wanted to go further.

What will be tested with the new spacesuit:
– Ability to drive a rover
– Ability to walk for more than an hour
– Testing its autonomy
– Making little sample returns (rocks), to test the storage of the spacesuit

Start time: 9:11 am

End time: 10:49 am

Narrative: This morning we decided that this EVA would be safe to conduct, as there were no wind nor rain. So we left airlock at 9:11 to go to Kissing Camels Ridges, with Curiosity and Spirit.

This EVA was made to test our new prototype, the ‘SUPAERO spacesuit’.

Thus, I wore it for the EVA, as I had already worn it for the last EVA with the spacesuit (EVA#6), to do several tests.

The first thing we tested was my ability to conduct a rover, here Spirit, with the spacesuit. All went well since we had added a little cushion to support the weight of my backpack.

Then, we arrived at 9:29 at Kissing Camel Ridge, and started exploration, for more than an hour. I was able to walk that long, supporting the backpack, and the prototype proved us that it had enough autonomy to do such exploration.

It appeared that with this spacesuit, there is no fog at all on the helmet, but also that it is more tiresome to wear.

Aurélien also did some samples returns, for an educational project for a primary French school.

We came back to the hab at 10:49, after a successful EVA.

Destination: Kissing Camel Ridge

Coordinates: 518300/4249300 (Kissing Camels Ridges)

EVA Participants: Norbert Pouzin (GHO, EVA leader), Aurélien Mure (XO), Jeremy Auclair (CMD), Cerise Cuny (HSO).

Roads and routes per MDRS Map: Entrance Road, Cow Dung Road

Mode of travel: Driving and Walking

Crew 206 EVA Report 07 Mar 2019
EVA #09

Author : Aurélien Mure

Purpose of EVA:
We realized that the weather station and the LOAC had fallen down, so we need an EVA first to assess the damages and to fix it then. We will go out with some tools to be prepared to every case of damage. We won’t have plan B for tomorrow as we know the weather is not fine. Our equipment is endangered so we decide to ask to out.

Start time: 9:15 am

End time: 11:15 am

Narrative: We left the airlock at 9:18 and went to drive Curiosity for team Red (Gaspard and Norbert) and Opportunity for team Blue (Benjamin and me). The brakes of Opportunity were really lazy this morning so team Blue decided to go with Spirit under the HabCom approval. As soon as we arrived at the LOAC location we realized that the weather station has fallen down on its fragile parts. The weather cock and the anemometer are down and appear to be damaged. We quickly decide to take all the equipment back to the Hab to work on it. As strong wind are announced for saturday it is clear that we will deploy the equipment on monday.

Destination: LOAC and Weather Station location, Hab Ridge

Coordinates: 518500/425700 (LOAC and Weather Station), 517900/4251200 (Hab Ridge Road /Sagan Street)

EVA Participants: Norbert Pouzin (GHO), Aurélien Mure (XO), Jeremy Auclair (CMD, EVA leader)

Roads and routs per MDRS Map: Cow Dung Road

Mode of travel: Driving and Walking

Crew 206 EVA Report 26-Feb-2019

EVA #8

Author: Cerise Cuny

Purpose of EVA: This EVA was supposed to allow us to do some maintenance on the LOAC (battery level and rain protection). In addition to that, we wanted to go on a long hike to compare the actual space suits to the one our crew is developing.

Start time: 9:06 am

End time: 11:20 am

Narrative: After the 5 minute depressurization, we checked the water levels and the rovers’ batteries. At 9:16 am the engineering check was over and we took the rovers to go to the LOAC location. We changed the battery and improved the water protection on the LOAC. When that job was done, at 9:26, we didn’t take the rovers immediately because we saw a car moving ahead of us, probably the CNN filming crew. After asking the hab to sort the issue with Atila, we decided to change our plans and go to the north. We stopped at 9:46 am at 518545/4253080 to go for an exploration walk. We found the landscape really interesting and were surprised that the canyon we walked in wasn’t named on the map. There was a light shower but it was so short that we didn’t have time to go back to the rovers and I decided that it wasn’t necessary to go back to the hab. When we got to the rovers (10:46) we decided to keep exploring around Reservoir because CNN filming crew was still in the hab. At 11:05 we took the rovers back to Pouce corner and when the HabComm Team assured us the CNN filming crew was gone, we went back to the hab and entered the airlock.

Destination:
Coordinates (use UTM NAD27 CONUS): 518500/425700 (LOAC and Weather Station), 518545/4253080 (first exploration stop), 518545/4252800 (Reservoir)

Participants: Jérémy Auclair (CMD), Benjamin Auzou (COMMS), Cerise Cuny (HSO, EVA leader), Gaspard Thieulin (NG)

Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map : Entrance Road , Cow Dung Road

Mode of travel: Driving and Walking