Category: Journalist Report

Journalist report;

Today we launched a rocket. Not just any rocket a repurposed Nike sounding rocket from the early days of the space program when we were still defining the winds in the upper atmosphere. At the launch we established effective range safety and cleared our airspace with an official NOTAM to the regulatory agencies controlling the airspace around our habitat. The rocket flew to 8200 feet and was safely recovered in a nearby field after a successful parachute recovery. No lives were lost and no animals were hurt in this demonstration so we count is a resounding success. To commemorate our success we ate a hearty meal of quiche and cinnamon rolls. After our launch we retired to the habitat for a customized exercise program, our traditional communal dinner and debriefings.

Today was our first full day on Mars. We started with very limited power thanks to the system failures detailed by Shannon previously. We also had some lectures from Rick on various space medicine topics, including ultrasound in space flight, winter survival, water survival, and the role of the flight surgeon. We also conducted an EVA and simulated a medical contingency while descending rocky scree. Finally, we had a lecture from Sean Serell, our rocketry specialist, who is directing the launching of our rocket tomorrow. The crew is tired in a good way, and very excited for tomorrow!

Journalist’s Report
Marge Lipton, Crew Journalist
Oct 25, 2018

SOL 4: Lots of many small steps before even a tiny leap

Today’s EVA’s were focused on what is still needed before a Virtual Reality training application of the MDRS can show additional terrain via drones. You wouldn’t just want to bring your equipment without doing thorough reconnaissance.

The morning EVA had Jim, James, Robert and Max headed to Candor Chasma. It was estimated to be a 3 hour trip from end to end. While data was being fed back to the Hab, it was noticed that the GPS coordinates (which were being taken for the drone based photogrammetry of terrain for the VR shoot) were not the same as the lat/long on the map in the hab. There are apparently a few different ways of taking coordinates but the videographers are sticking with the GPS readings they personally took on their survey.

Readings were also taken at regular intervals for the battery levels of the rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. Spirit had reasonable readings at the 1 hour 45 minute mark, but Opportunity, had a level of 40% leading the group to turn back. Luckily they did, because yards away from arriving at the Hab a bright red light turned on. Today’s mistake seems to be that putting Opportunity in high gear uses up more juice. So instead of a planned 3 hour EVA, at close to the 2 hour mark, Opportunity needed to be pushed back to the station. It’s a good thing it was almost home by then. The crew is discussing ways it may or may not be possible to bring an extra battery or generator on the rover for just such an emergency in the future.

Robert, Max, Shannon and Marge were on the afternoon EVA. They took Spirit and Curiosity out to the Burpee Dinosaur site. Once there, Shannon took out his drone and flew it over the area to get an idea of what would work. We also took GPS and iPhone coordinates to be used when the actual VR shooting occurs. The group got into the rovers and headed to Lith Canyon after that, but found too much tumbleweed and greenery for it to be Mars.

As for feedback on the space suits, a few us found that while they were fine when walking or sitting still, riding in the rover over some of the potholes caused the helmet to bump into chins and teeth.

Overall our mission has been a success in that it will greatly facilitate the time when the future VR operation occurs.

Sol 3 – Think like a Martian, Act like a Martian

Marge Lipton, Crew Journalist

10/24/2018

After morning yoga and tai chi loosened us up, the first EVA

commenced. Suits were donned, earpieces inserted, radios turned on and

turned in to the correct channel, and suits were fastened with duct

tape at the wrist to keep any Martian air from touching our skin.

EVA #1 was comprised of James, Max, Shannon, and Jim. Before heading

out to Pooh’s Corner, a walk away from the Hab, they checked

engineering, and took photos. Then they split into two groups, two

people took a detour to the Rock Garden, the other two went directly

to Poohs’ Corner. When they all reached that destination they called

in to Hab Com in to find out how much time was left and decided to

come back to base, get a rover and head west for their remaining time.

MISTAKE! When they eventually came back to base, even though the

commander had agreed to their extra excursion, they learned an

important lesson. Think like a Martian, act like a Martian. What that

means is that if you’re given a mission, and you’ve completed it,

don’t take on unnecessary risk. Astronauts on the space station don’t

walk over to the other side when they’ve finished a task just because

they want to. But how are we going to learn if we don’t make mistakes?

Paraphrasing Neil Armstrong in the movie First Man, “Better to fail on

earth than on Mars.” But because our mission is basically about

mapping what needs to be captured in Virtual Reality, that part was a

success.

The next group, Susan, Robert, Sacha, Jim and Marge went out after

lunch to Pooh’s Corner. The protocol is to suit up, gather in the

airlock until being given permission by Hab Com to egress. Our mission

was a success as we wandered around the beautiful Martian surface on

the lookout for interesting rocks and dinosaur bones.

The spacesuit makers, Max and Robert, debriefed us afterwards to hear

what suggestions we had for making them better. Since we’re a photo

mission, besides the comfort and fogginess of some helmets,

consideration was given to where VR and 360 cameras as well as other

paraphernalia could possibly be placed.

Engineering monitored our life supporting equipment. The marvelous HAL

(Habitat Activity Lexica) monitor went down. It’s comprised of various

modules keeping track of crew activity and is in the process of being

revived.

And later tonight we’re having that discussion on the moral dimensions

of space travel. Stay tuned!

Mars Crew 197 – Sol 1 – It’s a Wrap (Already??)

Marge Lipton – Crew 197 Journalist

We arrived at dusk last night and were treated to the soft luscious colors of a southwest sunset. Our crew faced earthly challenges like delayed flights and lost luggage, but persevered, fitting 5 people and too many pieces of luggage to count in a Nissan Pathfinder for the two and a half hour drive to the station. We squeezed everything in, but as newly minted Martians this became a bonding experience. Because it’s clear that besides all the engineering and technology in getting humans to Mars, it’s impossible not to take into consideration how best to get a diverse group of people to get along in such close quarters.

Our first day, today was the start of the MDRS season and involved a lot of housecleaning, from mopping and vacuuming, to setting up new posts to build the simulated pressurized tunnel allowing us to walk between different buildings. After the posts were pounded into the ground, we then WRAPPED the tarps overhead. Rovers had to be moved into position and the MDRS car needed to be taken in for a tune-up.

Crew members discussed what each wanted to accomplish on this mission, and tried to figure out especially, how we were going to remain in sim while also trying to get the best VR coverage of the sites James and Shannon wanted. In practice, this meant, to break sim or not wear a helmet or not on the EVA.

We were interrupted in our WRAPPING of the tunnel by rain, later followed by thunderstorms. So we took the opportunity to make WRAPS of tuna, avocado and tomato.

So as I said, that’s a wrap for today.

Journalist Report – Earth-Date 25May2018 / Sol 5

Author: Dana Levin

This concludes the mission of crew 195. We have suffered many a crisis and the crew has weathered them bravely. We’ve been down but not out, beaten but not broken, Spurned but never scorned, cloudy but not stormy, free but not clear, and many other things. In the end, this crew has handled the rigors of our cruel mistress mars well and looks forward to our return to earth having been enriched by the experience and our lives changed permanently and forever.

24.MAY.18

Today the crew awoke to the typical breakfast and morning briefings of the day. A PR crew joined us from a neighboring habitat to film some promotional material for mission control. The crew successfully set out on their EVA and the film crew recorded aspects of habitat life and EVA operations. Unfortunately disaster befell the crew of MDRS 195 yet again. The EVA had to be aborted after an emergency call was received. The crew expertly managed the crisis and recovered all crew members and vehicles before true disaster fell. We were fortunate to have the assistance of our PR crew to help manage the disaster. But all crew remain alive so we are looking forward to tomorrow’s mission, and we remain optimistic that perhaps tomorrow our crew will escape unscathed….

MDRS Crew 195
23 May, 2018

Hump day. The crew continue to evolve as a group. Personality traits surface, morals are tested and maybe even questioned. Debates are heated. It is deliberate of course. We ponder the type of people that may make up the future Mars populations. Would any of us make the cut? Would any of you want to?

The previous few updates have likely not made much sense. I am not suffering from space madness. Big Brother is a brutal censor. Enough said.

The day is hot and clear. The EVAs, as fun and varied as they are, feel like a tease. We whiz by so much photogenic landscape. It’s too much to take in at once. The experience seems a little too fleeting.

One handed ATV driving for a selfie is clearly a no-no and there is the overriding need to return to Hab for repress before our “consumables” run out. Like that annoyingly essential thing called oxygen.

We were given a unique perspective on Mars weather today. Sometimes having limited control over your situation is liberating. Other times it unmasks some cracks. The radio etiquette has shifted from attempted professionalism to requests for urgent ice water enemas on arrival back at Hab. Yep, we’re taking our Sims seriously.

[tittle Journalist Report – May 22]

MDRS Crew 195
Sol 2

Dubbed Nerd Day, our EVA centred around finding evidence of life on Mars using the drone. It was a longer ride on the quads and buggies (gee life is tough) and a few short strolls up and down the gentle hills en route.

Even with the wind picking up and a spattering of Martian rain, the drone buzzed about, up and down the wash and sticky-beaking on the crew. Hey "Lead", do you ever get that feeling you’re being watched?

We’ve said goodbye to one crew member today and will gain more on the resup ship. Afternoon downtime was filled with a bit of reading, electronic Chess games, snoozing, exercise in the Engineering tunnel, trading "war stories" and rehydrating freeze dried blueberries with orange Gatorade. As you do.

For tonight’s entertainment: The Martian. Most of us have seen it before but this time it will be with new eyes. Freshly ultrasound gelled eyes.

MDRS Crew 195
May 21, 2018

It’s hard to settle into a routine when you’re mostly doing non-routine things. Lessons over breakfast, big pots of coffee, shared cleaning and cooking duties, yeah, mostly routine. Sleeping in a cupboard, clambering up and down a steep ladder with gnarly teeth, fitting your fishbowl helmet and ventilation backpack while your mate radio checks to Nav, then jiggling around for a few minutes in a rather snug airlock to prebreath prior to an EVA on Mars to check Comms relays? Decidedly not routine. Until now.

Lunch is followed by more aerospace medicine lessons to fuel our curiosity and prove there are no mundane career paths for this group! So three grown men CAN change out of flight suits into dry-suits in a landing capsule about as spacious as the back seat of a VW Beetle. The mind boggles.

Here’s hoping the heavens are clear for a glimpse of the ISS overhead tonight.

More role plays tomorrow. Whose turn to shine in the next total action patient drama? Break a leg! Oh wait, we’ve done that one.

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