Category: Sol Summary

Crew 290 Sol Summary Report 17-01-2024

Sol: 10

Summary Title: (Panda) rolling into the last sols

Author’s name: Madelyn Hoying

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

Some snowy forecasts and poor visibility at today’s EVA destination led the crew to opt for postponing the planned MADMEN collect. The crew spent the morning doing team bonding activities and some science, then broke for lunch and workouts. The workouts turned into another kind of bonding, with group yoga evolving into Roots (Anna) teaching the crew her former rhythmic gymnastics exercises. After workouts concluded, the team split off to complete their science and logistics tasks for the day. Funk (Ben) made a dinner of jambalaya, and the crew is hoping to do arts and crafts tonight with ISRU clay made by Roots.

Look Ahead Plan: Attempt #2 of a long hike in EVA gear, off of rover roads, for MADMEN’s (hopefully) final sample site, and a REMI EVA

Anomalies in work: none

Weather: Cloudy

Crew Physical Status: nominal

EVA: none

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist Report, Greenhab Report, Operations Report, EVA Request

Support Requested:

Is an EVA report required for an aborted EVA?

Crew 290 Sol Summary Report 18-01-2024

Sol: 11

Summary Title: MADMEN? MADMEN.

Author’s name: Madelyn Hoying

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

Last night, the crew had a simulated emergency with fire alarms and acting from Mission Support (shout out to Ben Stanley). The crew responded well and completed the emergency protocol in under 45 seconds! This morning’s activity was a long EVA, with Freebee (Anja), Funk (Ben), and Roots (Anna) spending close to 4 hours in the field at Aonia Terra. With Melon (Madelyn) on CAPCOM, the crew successfully selected the sample site to fill the last terrain type needed for MADMEN. REMI had a successful outing too, collecting 11 different samples. Chopper (Rebecca) and Melon attempted to cook a pasta lunch for the crew, with some help from Funk on return from EVA. After lunch, Chopper and parts of the crew spent time in the Science Dome processing EVA samples. Freebee made chicken pot pie for dinner and the crew settled in for the last night in sim.

Look Ahead Plan: Last day of sim!

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:

Crew 290 Sol Summary Report 13-01-2024

Sol: 6

Summary Title: pHenomenal Day

Author’s name: Madelyn Hoying

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

The day kicked off with French toast and fried potatoes courtesy of Freebee (Anja) and Funk (Ben). The whole crew headed over to the Science Dome to prep EVA procedures and evaluate yesterday’s samples. There, PODO (Nicole) made the most exciting discovery of the day – a working pH meter, tucked away in the Science Dome! This is one that we can bring in the field as our experimental protocol had originally described, instead of requiring an in-hab workaround. We bumped our EVA back by an hour to give time to adjust the protocol and prepare the new sample setup. Chopper (Rebecca), Funk, Roots (Anna), and PODO set off on their EVA to Chandor Chasma with Melon (Madelyn) on CAPCOM and Freebee setting up the Science Dome. Two promising sample sites were collected, which the crew will continue analyzing in the coming days. Freebee is making a dinner of beans and rice, and the crew is looking forward to a rest day tomorrow.

Look Ahead Plan: Rest day, catch-up work time in the hab, team bonding

Anomalies in work: none

Weather: Windy, but less so than Sol 4

Crew Physical Status: nominal

EVA: 07 to Chandor Chasma, with Rebecca, Ben, Anna, and Nicole

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist Report, Greenhab Report, Operations Report, EVA Report, Mid-Mission Report

Support Requested:

Additional CR2032 3V lithium batteries for the pH meter. The meter takes 4, and there are two meters in the Science Dome. If there are 8 batteries available, that would be great!
The temperature sensor broke in the field today, with a wire to the battery broken. Are there any 9V battery connectors available? If so, we can solder it to repair.

Crew 290 Sol Summary Report 14-01-2024

Sol: 7

Summary Title: pHun Day!

Author’s name: Madelyn Hoying

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

Our rest day started with crepes with peanut butter, Nutella, and strawberries courtesy of Freebee (Anja). Chopper (Rebecca), Funk (Ben), Roots (Anna), and Freebee spent some time loading microfluidic devices with samples collected yesterday, while Melon (Madelyn) evaluated field photos and rock samples to characterize the sample sites. After a lunch of Funk’s fried rice, Nicole (PODO) and Chopper continued pH measurements while Roots evaluated glove dexterity with Freebee and Melon. The crew is enjoying some personal time and getting ready for our team bonding activities tonight.

Look Ahead Plan: Sample collection and analysis

Anomalies in work: none

Weather: Warm and windy

Crew Physical Status: nominal

EVA: none

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist Report, Greenhab Report, Operations Report, EVA Request

Support Requested:

Trash pickup in the rear airlock.

Crew 290 Sol Summary Report 10-01-2024

Sol: 3

Summary Title: Hitting rock bottom…in a good way

Author’s name: Madelyn Hoying

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

Things are starting to come together! After a breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes and homemade bread courtesy of Anja (callsign: Freebee), the crew kicked off the day with science prep, GreenHab upkeep, and habitat housekeeping. After a light lunch, EVA 04 prep commenced for Freebee, Ben (Funk), and Nicole (PODO), with Madelyn (Melon) as CAPCOM. On EVA 04, REMI and Freebee sampled six different sites within 180 meters of the Hab. The focus of the sites was mostly on sandy and gravelly terrain near small streamways. All systems were nominal during the EVA, and the crew had little to no difficulty running commands and controlling the robot with suits on. A new setup procedure in the RAM airlock also helped alleviate some struggles from EVA 03. EVA 04 was also the first sample collection for MADMEN. Funk performed human factors assessments of salinity field tests and collected the necessary samples from shale in the Curtis foundation near the Hab. EVA 04 was a success and provided Rebecca (Chopper) with samples to run to begin the microbiological analysis goals of Project MADMEN. As always, Anna (Roots) proved to be an excellent Crew Engineer and managed to troubleshoot multiple things as they came up, preventing progression towards serious issues. The crew is settling in for a dinner made by Funk and looking forward to some more crew bonding activities tonight!

Look Ahead Plan: Engineering EVA, science planning

Anomalies in work: pH meter still not functional

Weather: Warm on EVA!

Crew Physical Status: nominal

EVA: 04 Science tasks for REMI and sample collection, with Anja, Ben, and Nicole

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist Report, Greenhab Report, Operations Report, EVA Report, EVA Request

Support Requested:

Septic tank and toilet solution (see ops report)
For engineering EVA to fix the RAM ramp: any updates on use of a shovel and where to take regolith from?
Can we use GreenHab shovels to assist in sample collection on EVA?

Crew 290 Sol Summary Report 11-01-2024

Sol: 4

Summary Title:

Author’s name: Madelyn Hoying

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary: Off of Earth, still in class

After a windy night, the crew started strong with a successful engineering EVA to fix rover mirrors, build a ramp to the RAM airlock, collect smectite for ISRU clay projects. Freebee (Anja) also used the EVA to demonstrate loading, unloading, and securing REMI into the rover beds for future traverses. Funk (Ben) used leftover chicken powder and breadcrumbs to make meatballs to compliment the spaghetti for lunch, and worked on operationalizing the pH meter with Roots (Anna) in the afternoon. Melon (Madelyn) planned EVA sites and operations while Chopper (Rebecca) instructed the crew on MADMEN test procedures in the Science Dome. PODO (Nicole) spent time interviewing each crew member for some profile posts on social media. The crew as a whole celebrated scientific success with the first showers of the trip, experimenting with the bucket method. We were excited to note that we are still significantly under our budgeted water usage per day while including showers, and are cautiously scheduling an increase in shower frequency. Looking forward to sewing our mission patches onto our flight suits tonight!

Look Ahead Plan: Sample collection in the field

Anomalies in work: heater restart required due to high winds

Weather: Windy

Crew Physical Status: nominal

EVA: 05 engineering EVA, with Anja and Anna

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist Report, Greenhab Report, Operations Report, EVA Report, EVA Request

Support Requested:

1. Approval to load REMI into the rover bed for long traverses on future EVAs

Crew 290 Sol Summary Report 11-01-2024

Sol: 5

Summary Title: Signs of life

Author’s name: Madelyn Hoying

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

The day began with science, with Chopper (Rebecca), Roots (Anna), Freebee (Anja), and PODO (Nicole) working out the pH and microfluidics studies. The first signs of life were observed out of the microfluidic devices! Melon (Madelyn) laid out a checklist for sample site selection in the field to optimize EVA output. After a lunch of leftover risotto, the EVA crew of Melon, Freebee, and Roots, with Funk (Ben) on CAPCOM, ventured out for the furthest expedition yet with an ambitious goal to reach Lith Canyon. Unfortunately, the rover batteries reached their limit at about halfway, necessitating a turn-around point near Tharsis Montes. Two diverse sample sites were investigated, with one in a valley between two Morrison Formation hills and another in a dried riverbed heading east into the Tharsis Montes region. Field tests gave clear indications of microbial life at the riverbed site, so the crew is excited to begin lab testing and compare those results to the smectite regions! REMI had another solid day of data collection, managing to squeeze 10 sites into the EVA. Funk is cooking his own, specially-developed space food recipe tonight of chana aloo, and the crew is impatiently waiting for a taste test. With water usage still remarkably low post-shower, the crew is looking forward to showers after another long sample collection mission tomorrow.

Look Ahead Plan: Sample collection in the field and science!

Anomalies in work: none

Weather: Windy, but less so than Sol 4

Crew Physical Status: nominal

EVA: 05 engineering EVA, with Anja and Anna

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist Report, Greenhab Report, Operations Report, EVA Report, EVA Request

Support Requested:

Trash pickup tonight in the rear airlock
There is an old handheld GPS that was found on the shelf with the walkie talkies in the ground floor of the Hab. Is there a charger for this? It ran out of battery in the field today.

Crew 290 Sol Summary Report 08-01-2024

Sol: 1

Summary Title: Jumping into Sim

Author’s name: Madelyn Hoying

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

We began by completing the required training to enter sim, with a few photo ops along the way. At around 13:30, the crew officially entered sim and began prepping for EVA 01. Madelyn, Anna, and Anja completed suit and comms checks ahead of schedule. On entering the airlock for depressurization, some comms issues caused a delay leading to re-pressurization and suit adjustments. The EVA then proceeded successfully, with the crew noting important changes that need to be made for future EVA success in scientific expeditions (including glove selection and headset placement). While the EVA crew was out, Becka, Ben, and Nicole shared CAPCOM duties and settled into their roles. Becka and Nicole worked to establish a microbiology lab in the Science Dome and managed to troubleshoot several equipment difficulties as they came up. Ben hydrated plants (along with trying some Grateful Dead music therapy on some less-than-stellar cucumbers), planned meals for our time on Mars, and cooked a very popular lunch of fried rice and leftover curry. The crew is planning to spend some time stargazing tonight if the weather allows, to check out the view of the constellations from the red planet!

Look Ahead Plan: Complete training EVA 02, conduct the first research EVA to collect GPR data, complete Science Dome setup

Anomalies in work: Finding Shannon’s pH meter

Weather: Cold and windy! Winds picked up by the end of EVA 01

Crew Physical Status: nominal

EVA: 01, Marblehead ritual completed with Madelyn, Anja, and Anna

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist Report, Greenhab Report, Operations Report, EVA report, EVA Request(s)

Support Requested:

Assistance in locating Shannon’s pH meter, confirmed for use in the pre-mission research meeting – already addressed by Ben S. Thank you! Our crew is very grateful.
Does the laminar flow hood in the Science Dome have any time limitations for how long we can use it? We don’t plan on using it for over 3-4 hours at a time.
Additional botany guidance if possible – see Greenhab report for details

Crew 290 Sol Summary Report 09-01-2024

Sol: 2

Summary Title: Science not working out, but we are!

Author’s name: Madelyn Hoying

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

Today kicked off our schedule for exercise countermeasures, with the crew taking 1.5-hour blocks each day to complete a HIIT- and resistance-based workout plan. The first EVA kicked off smoothly with Rebecca, Ben, and Nicole completing the Marble Ritual excursion while Madelyn was CAPCOM, Anna evaluated an issue with Suit #8’s airflow, and Anja prepared REMI for operation. A slight contingency with Becka’s headset falling down on EVA 02 resulted in a much-preferred headset placement for Madelyn on EVA 03, resolving the comms difficulties faced in EVA 01. After a lunch of alfredo pasta prepared by Ben, EVA 03 served as a systems check of REMI to enable data collection in later excursions. Becka and Anna spent the afternoon troubleshooting the pH meter and other Science Dome equipment for Project MADMEN. Anja prepped a dinner of taco bowls (buddha-FULL buddha bowls, according to Anna) and the crew is preparing for a game night tonight, with a possible call sign ceremony. Stay tuned to see our call signs tomorrow!

Look Ahead Plan: pH meter solution, EVA 04 for REMI data collection and to begin sample collection for MADMEN

Anomalies in work: Some science hiccups along the way with pH meter functionality not established, and a solvable issue in REMI operations

Weather: Cloudy compared to yesterday’s clear skies, but warm enough for just two layers with the flight suits by EVA 03

Crew Physical Status: nominal

EVA: 02, Marble ritual completed with Becka, Ben, and Nicole; 03, REMI testing with Madelyn, and Anja

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist Report, Greenhab Report, Operations Report, EVA Reports, EVA Request

Support Requested:

1. Are there any additional pH meters, or parts to fix Shannon’s? After troubleshooting, the crew is not able to get hers operational.

2. Crew changed the batteries on Shannon’s pH meter – what is the procedure for disposal of the 3V coin battery that was removed?

3. Wiring diagrams for the one-piece suits are requested, to check for a solution to suit #8’s lack of airflow (see ops report for more detail).

4. Would it be possible to build up a bit of dirt around the ramp out of the RAM airlock, so that the crew does not have to lift REMI over the lip each time? This could be done as an EVA task if needed.

Sol: 11
Summary Title: Sol Eleven: Wintry Heaven
Author’s Name: Adriana Brown
Mission Status: Nominal
Sol Activity Status:
Crew 289 began the final sol of their mission with a wintry surprise: snow on Mars! Even though this meant no EVA for today, the entire crew was delighted by the breathtaking scene outside of the Hab. Thus commenced a cozy day. Adriana spent some of the morning in the Science Dome packing up samples and checking on her drying sediment samples. Riya worked on her air quality sensor, and Eshaana got data from her mini farm’s solar panel. Thanks to Sara, the crew got some very official portraits taken in the lower deck and wrapped up the photography session with a tasty pasta featuring GreenHab veggies. As much of the crew has begun to wrap up their research today in preparation for tomorrow’s cleaning day, the afternoon was spent by crew members playing games, packing up their personal items and experiments, and talking through travel logistics back to Earth. Tonight, we are excited to eat a curry prepared by Eshaana, drink hot chocolate, and hopefully, stargaze.
Look Ahead Plan: Cleaning and acquiring vehicles from Grand Junction
Anomalies in work: None
Weather: Snowy in morning, partly sunny in evening
Crew Physical Status: Nominal
EVA: None
Reports to be filed: Journalist Report, Greenhab Report, Operations Report, Sol Summary, Astronomy Report, Photos
Support Requested: None