Category: Sol Summary

Crew 292 Sol Summary Report 12-02-2024

Sol: Sol #8

Summary Title: Business on Mars as usual

Author’s name: Annalea Beattie

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary: Even after great excitement, a late night and a terrific outreach interview run by Sakshi Sharma in India, we completed two successful EVA’s today to Kissing Camel Ridge using Spirit and Perseverance rovers. In our two groups we covered 800 metres of Kissing Camel Ridge, up and down. There is still ice on the Morrison even though it was a beautiful day. I kept an eye out for terrestrial mountain lions and saw nothing even though paw prints have been spotted near the road. EVA’s #9 and # 10 focused on inverted river channels and different types of weathering including cross-bedded sandstone. These complex signs of ancient fluvio-lacustrine dunes are very similar to large scale outcrops photographed by Curiosity on Mars (and they are amazing to draw). Both EVA’s today ran like clockwork and we continue to achieve our science goals.

The last couple of days especially, our joint Australian Indian crew is in its full stride. Morale is great. This crew is a considerate crew and we are enjoying being a team. Every day the group at home cares for the group away, ensuring jobs are done and food is on the table when the others return and this is what happened today. In the hab there is a rhythm to our day as if this is the way we have always lived. We have really learnt in the last week to pull together to conserve our resources. This includes, for instance, portioning food so there is no waste. This is a challenge when cooking a meal for seven hearty vegetarians but we are getting the hang of it. Today during EVA# 9 the home group cleaned and cooked and discussed our crew plans for analogue research and astrobiology in India. We decided that it’s time we reinvigorated Mars Society India and our geologist Bharti Sharma has taken the lead. In the afternoon while our second crew were out on EVA #10, Clare assisted Daniel with DNA extractions in the Science Dome, Aditya worked on his image of a spiral galaxy and Mehnaz worked on her experiments in the Green Hab checking plants for rates of evapotranspiration. Chocolate orange peanut butter brownies were cooked by Dan and a sabji dinner with chapattis is now ready for us after Comms.

Look Ahead Plan: One EVA requested tomorrow to Candor Chasma and Compass Rock

Anomalies in work: None

Weather: Cold but sunny all day with clear skies.

Crew Physical Status: Nominal

EVA: All crew in two groups (EVA #9 and EVA #10) to the east and then west of Kissing Camel Ridge.

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist Report, Greenhab Report, Operations Report, EVA report, Astronomy Report, EVA request.

Support Requested: None

Crew 292 Sol Summary Report 13-02-2024

Sol: Sol # 9

Summary Title: Another remarkable day for Mangalyatri Crew 292

Author’s name: Annalea Beattie

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Summary Activity: This morning all crew ate blueberry pancakes together and over breakfast we talked again about the future Indian Mars Desert Research Station. This time we discussed how we conserve resources here and then, our waste here, what happens to it and how other remote facilities everywhere manage their refuse. We decided to create a combined research project for Ladakh that focuses on waste disposal and see if we can create some interest and support from engineers and scientists and students in India. And each of our crew will contribute from their own position. For instance, Rajvi Patel, our engineer, works on Boeing aircrafts so she can investigate best practice for how they dispose of lithium in their batteries.

After breakfast some of us worked in the Science Dome. Clare demonstrated for Rajvi how to test rocks for carbonates. Daniel carried out another PCR and gel visualisation for ID of the DNA that was extracted from a second soil sample, which Rajvi assisted with. This found Archaea and Fungi in sample. More media dilutions of the brought 5 different media were prepared and inoculated with the soil and “yellow goo” collected yesterday. A non-targeted PCR was run to identify if there was any DNA present in the “yellow goo” and soil put into media in the morning. Meanwhile I tried to draw a sample of honeycomb weathering. Bharti planned her base geology map and wrote the introduction to her paper on the geology of the area. She is currently working on methodology. Aditya continued analysis of a new image of the Crab Nebula. Mehnaz gardened and worked on data cleaning and her codes. This afternoon Clare, Bharti and I left in Curiosity and Opportunity for EVA #11 to Candor Chasma. Our EVA was three and a half hours long and we left the rovers parked and walked about a kilometre to the canyon. At the chasma we climbed down, noticing the bedding plane, the contact between Salt Wash and the Sommerville formations and the geomorphology of the canyon. Then we traced the pathway of the dry riverbed from the ridge. We were home in time for a late afternoon cup of tea. Before dinner Aditya and Mehnaz did drawings in the science lab, exploring ideas about their research. This evening we are still busy, extracting DNA from rocks, all working on our research and reports (as this is our last week here) and drawing the dark sky. Pizza for dinner.

Look Ahead Plan: One EVA requested tomorrow to Candor Chasma and Compass Rock.

Anomalies in work: None

Weather: Cold but sunny all day 39F average with clouds early on and clear skies all afternoon.

Crew Physical Status: Nominal

EVA: EVA #11 to Candor Chasma.

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist Report, Greenhab Report, Operations Report, EVA report, Astronomy Report, EVA request.

Support Requested: None

Sol: Sol #5
Summary Title: Snow at MDRS
Author’s name: Annalea Beattie
Mission Status: Nominal
Sol Activity Summary: All field work is postponed today due to a layer of snow covering the desert. We regrouped after breakfast and met to set the goals for the day. Because of the weather forecast, Bharti and Clare spent some time planning the minimum schedule of EVAs necessary to complete everyone’s goals for field work in the following week. Bharti also read and took notes on the geomorphology of this area. She then prepared a base map. Aditya helped Mehnaz with evapotranspiration calculations for her research and then he had his scheduled shower. Later he continued his analysis of star images, specifically in response to the feedback given by Director of Observatories, Peter Detterline, and in relation to his image of NGC5904. Rajvi performed her engineer jobs and then discussed and examined variations of concretions with Clare. To minimize tools and save time, she is learning how to use her watch to mark points and trace her steps in the field. She also cooked a delicious lunch. Daniel spent much of the day in the Science Dome. In the morning he made two 5ml dilutions of the 5 different types of liquid media he brought with him. These were inoculated with 0.25g of the two different soil samples collected yesterday on EVA 4 and placed in the incubator which is set at 37C/99F to see if anything will grow. After lunch Daniel baked bread with Bharti and then extracted DNA from yesterday’s samples from EVA 4 in the Science Dome. I reorganized my notes for our upcoming outreach event with Women in Space, South Asia, did yoga and baked more bread. After two pm, I used the table and the magnification lamp in the Science dome to do several hours drawing and painting of concretion samples. Mehnaz gardened in the Green Hab, harvested greens for dinner and worked on the equations for her research.
Look Ahead Plan: Today while the snow melted we discussed our postponed EVAS and what might be possible for tomorrow, considering the forecast for snow, rain, thunderstorms and other hazardous weather predicted in the next few days. The forecast is not good for our fieldwork but we are trying to think about what is do-able and whether we can work close to the hab, weather permitting. Meanwhile we will ensure all our research is ready to go, as soon as the weather clears.
Anomalies in work: None
Weather: Snow covering the desert and sunny during the day with a high of 41F. Rain and cold with a wind chill factor of 30F and 22F overnight tonight with a chance of new snow accumulation of half an inch.
Crew Physical Status: Nominal. The crew are working well together as a team, everyone is healthy and morale is good.
EVA: None
Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist Report, Greenhab Report, Operations Report, EVA report, Astronomy Report, EVA request.
Support Requested: None

Sol: Sol #6
Summary Title: The sun came out for our EVA #7
Author’s name: Annalea Beattie
Mission Status: Nominal
Sol Activity Summary: It snowed overnight but dried off quickly around the hab and the sun came out. We all did yoga led by Rajvi. After breakfast we spent the morning discussing the Mid-Mission Report. We waited for Mission Support to confirm our proposed EVA #7 (which was pending, weather permitting). An hour before we were due to leave, we were given the go ahead. Good news for our crew. EVA #7 headed off by foot east of the hab after a quick lunch. This afternoon I compiled the Mid-Mission report and made a fruit crumble. We kept in close communication with our away team. Later Daniel worked in the Science Dome on his samples successfully extracting DNA. More cooking and more work on the Mid-Mission Report followed. We are still busy now with our routine chores, checking the plants, the suits, the systems, all the things we need to do to keep our hab running smoothly.
Look Ahead Plan: Yesterday’s postponed EVA to the south of Cowboy Corner is requested for tomorrow for Clare, Bharti and me with the goals of slope measurements and drawing samples in situ the field.
Anomalies in work: None
Weather: 40F with 58% humidity. Sunny with a High UV for most of the day. Sunset at 5.59pm in the minuses overnight.
Crew Physical Status: Nominal
EVA: EVA #7 to east of the hab to collect water samples for Daniel, concretions, for gypsum for Rajvi and for Clare to monitor different types of weathering.
Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist Report, Greenhab Report, Operations Report, EVA report, Astronomy Report, EVA request.
Support Requested: None

Sol: Sol #7
Summary Title: Good weather for field work
Author’s name: Annalea Beattie
Mission Status: Nominal
Sol Summary: Sunday is our scheduled day off so we slept in until after nine had a breakfast of leftovers and then went back to our work. Daniel spent time in the Science Dome successfully extracting DNA with his mobile Bento Lab. Rajvi and Mehnaz continued their usual chores caring for all the systems and the Green Hab. Aditya worked on his star imagery and on his research project. That was the story for the home crew for the rest of the day. Clare, Bharti and I prepared our gear for our EVA #8 south of Cowboy Corner. With Rajvi, we adjusted our suits and checked batteries. For the first time I chose to wear the all-in-one suit with the built-in helmet and I am converted. It was super comfortable, a little bit noisy sometimes but the weight is distributed evenly on the shoulders and the hips. It felt easy to move about the field in spacesuit number eight and I barely noticed wearing it. Our EVA was successful with samples gathered for Daniel from two locations. On a large scale we examined the rubble falling down the grey, greenish grey and red slopes of the Morrison. Their spectacular sinuous and cross-bedded features have been deposited by ancient river systems over millions of years. It was both sunny and chilly today and there was still snow settled in the shadows. As we walked around the base of the ridge we found elongated cross-bedding, micro-folding and varieties of small concretions. It was a successful EVA and we were all really happy to be out working in the field. We arrived home at four and after a cup of tea now our crew are cooking and writing reports for the day to be submitted tonight to Mission Support. After Comms this evening we have a special outreach event organized by our terrific media person on the ground in India, Sakshi Sharma. Our crew will meet with her, with the members of Women in Space South Asia, and all the other invited guests from all over the world to talk about our work and our experiences living here in simulation at the Mars Desert Research Station.
Look Ahead Plan: Two EVAS requested tomorrow to east and then to west Kissing Camel Ridge.
Anomalies in work: None
Weather: Cold but dry in the morning and sunny this afternoon at 41F. There is little chance of rain and the wind tonight is at 4mph. There is a waxing crescent moon and clear skies.
Crew Physical Status: Nominal
EVA: EVA #8 to south of Cowboy Corner.
Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist Report, Greenhab Report, Operations Report, EVA report, Astronomy Report, EVA request.
Support Requested: None

Sol: Sol #4
Summary Title: What a remarkable day – a significant capture of NGC5904!
Author’s name: Annalea Beattie
Mission Status: Nominal
Sol Activity Summary: On this morning’s EVA to Cowboy Corner our away team was Bharti, Daniel, Rajvi and Aditya. Our science lead Bharti collected images of geomorphology and saw for the first time the paleo-channels and cross-bedding. She will return to do the slope analysis. Daniel navigated everyone to the EVA site, initially following the GPS then using old school methods – a map and compass. He looked for gypsum but couldn’t find the needed samples. Engineer Rajvi kept the time. Her objective was also to find gypsum and to understand the geological context for gypsum bearing sites since they are water carrying minerals and water will be an essential thing for the astronauts and as well it could be utilized for the propellant production on Mars. Aditya saw two large life forms (deer simultaneously jumping, we think) as well as many different kinds of lichens. Back at the hab, Mehnaz and I cleaned the floors, upstairs and downstairs and then we cooked lunch. I did yoga. Clare lent a hand to everyone. Her experience here is an asset. This afternoon we planned science directions, talked about gypsum, Jezero and discussed future EVAS and the inclement weather. Later, I continued with my gypsum sample watercolours in the science dome and Mehnaz and Daniel planted new seeds for her research. Daniel also cooked chocolate chip banana bread.
After the EVA this afternoon, Aditya continued his analysis of NGC5904, a globular cluster of stars twenty-four thousand light years away. And then, amazingly, he captured the image of the star cluster using the robotic telescope at MDRS. Congratulations Aditya Karigiri Krishna Madhusudhan! We are all thrilled with your work (see photos).
Look Ahead Plan: Two EVAS tomorrow weather permitting.
Anomalies in work: None
Weather: Cold but dry in the morning and only a small amount of rain this afternoon. Cloud cover was high all day with minor wind SSW with gusts up to 11mph. Average temperature 38F. Now pouring.
Crew Physical Status: Nominal
EVA: EVA to Cowboy Corner to search for gypsum samples and to examine igneous intrusions in sedimentary bedding, onion skin weathering the stratigraphy of the area. Crew consisted of Bharti, Daniel, Rajvi and Aditya.
Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist Report, Greenhab Report, Operations Report, EVA report, Astronomy Report, EVA request.
Support Requested: None

Summary title : Mangalyatri, Crew 292 Begins Simulation After Training.
Author’s name: Annalea Beattie
Mission Status: Nominal
Sol Activity Summary: Despite delays and snowy stormy weather Mars Society Australia Crew 292 Mangalyatri (Mars Explorers) all finally arrived at the Mars Desert Research Station, joining crew member Clare Fletcher who was also a member of MSA Crew 291. This morning we trained for simulation and learnt about all the systems of the Mars hab. We spent time in the engineering bay (RAM – the repair and maintenance module), in the fruiting and plentiful Green Hab and in the extraordinary Science Dome. Later, outside, MDRS Director Sergii Lakymov taught us how to charge and drive the electric rovers and we all went for a practice drive. For our crew geologist Bharti Sharma, it was her first experience ever behind the wheel of a vehicle. In the afternoon we were trained in comms with radios and headsets and then we tried on space suits. This was great and congratulations, North California Mars Society – the suits you have made for the station are excellent, so comfortable and easy to wear. At 3.30 pm everyone sat down for a cup of tea and a quick planning meeting. We discussed tomorrow’s two training EVA’s, and our dinner roster for this evening. We examined our water use and thought about how we can conserve our resources. We scheduled a research discussion meeting for tomorrow and decided that we would begin simulation at six pm today. With two hours to go of fresh air outside, we all went for a walk up to Hab Ridge. The Henry Mountains are snow-covered and beautiful and we wandered along the top of the Dakota sandstone. We came back to the hab via spectacular North Ridge with its deco colours – creamy pinks, chocolate browns and ochres, rusts and black. The desert was quiet and still, the ground soft from the rain and we walked home on pink mud like Mars. We came inside, shut the doors and began simulation.
Look Ahead Plan: Two training EVA’s and a research project meeting to roster in field work.
Anomolies in work: Nothing to report
Weather: Light cloud cover today with mild wind, NNE 8-17 mph. Daily temperature 51-54F.
Crew Physical Status: Nominal
EVA: No
Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist Report, Greenhab Report, Operations Report, EVA report, EVA Request(s)
Support requested: Nothing to request.

Sol: Sol #2
Summary Title: Training and raining – the rain, the rain, (and we have only just begun our work).
Author’s name: Annalea Beattie
Mission Status: Nominal
Sol Activity Summary: Today we ate breakfast together and were ready for our training EVA’S well ahead of time. We were all there to help each other with the necessary preparation tasks of the EVA – to dress efficiently and comfortably in the space suits, to be completely at ease with the communication equipment as well as to be able to drive the electric rovers to our destination and move about in the field whilst wearing the space suits. We split into two groups and two separate EVAS to Marble Ritual. Both excursions were very successful and well time-managed despite a costume malfunction (mine) and drizzling rain which has now become intense. The rain is cramping our EVA ambitions. After the second training EVA, today we met at four to discuss and share our research goals and to determine the science directions for the next few days. We discussed everyone’s research and talked about what each of us needs next, and what we can do to assist. We talked about the future, about Ladakh and plans to build an analogue research station, an observatory and a green hab there. We talked about our initial impressions of MDRS. Our microbiologist Daniel Loy and geologist Bharti Sharma contacted Science Director and MSA president geologist Dr. Jon Clarke for more advice about where to go for gypsum sites within the range of the rovers. My feeling is that overall the crew is working well together. Our health is good. We are fit and sleeping and eating well. Fingers crossed that the rain will cease and we can go out in the field.
Look Ahead Plan: An EVA tomorrow for four crew to do slope analysis and find gypsum samples. A day at home in the hab for the rest of the crew with work here to do.
Anomalies in work: Nothing to report.
Weather: Cool start to the morning with 30 degrees F at seven am and humidity at 81%. High cloud cover all day and a slight wind with the temperature rising to 49F. Rain began at about 2.30 pm with drizzle then pouring, temperatures dropping quickly and high winds expected.
Crew Physical Status: Nominal
EVA: Training EVA #1 today to Marble Ritual at 10.30am with Mehanz, Rajvi, Clare and Aditya. Training EVA # 2 to Marble Ritual at 1.45 with Bharti, Daniel and me, Annalea.
Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist Report, Greenhab Report, Operations Report, EVA report, Astronomy Report
EVA Request(s): EVA with Bharti, Daniel, Aditya and Rajvi. Leaving at 2pm to Cowboy Corner in search of gypsum samples as well as slope analysis.
Support Requested: None

Sol: Sol #3
Summary Title: A windy but productive day for Mangalyatri Crew 292.
Author’s name: Annalea Beattie
Mission Status: Nominal
Sol Activity Summary: The weather was extreme today. Even though the desert looked still, we could hear the wind howling around the hab when we woke. We correctly anticipated a delay in our fieldwork. Most of us spent the morning organizing field materials and doing research. Mid-morning Bharti and I assisted our engineer Rajvi to check the covers for the tunnels, directly addressing any issues. We made sure all our doors are well-secured and that we are keeping good radio contact in the different working zones of the hab. Mehnaz did her Green Hab chores early and then cooked aloo sandwiches (spicy potato) with Bharti. We made some yoghurt in the breadmaker, which is fantastic, and we cooked chick-peas in the slow cooker for tonight’s dinner. Late morning, yoga and we all had a late lunch. Straight after lunch, in a quick group meeting, Bharti demonstrated her idea for saving water while washing our dishes and we all agreed to change dish washing practices. Because of the high winds, as predicted, our EVA this afternoon was postponed. However, we made the best of our time inside. This afternoon everyone worked on their own projects. Aditya set up an observation in the robotic telescope and then did his analysis. Clare and I spent time in the science dome and set up a working table for drawing and painting samples, in this case, gypsum. Daniel extracted 0.3 grams of salt from a gypsum crystal to put into different media for his samples. Mehanz had a useful discussion with Rajvi and Aditya about her research and returned to the Green Hab to harvest radish, coriander and basil and check the moisture levels of the plants. Bharti read papers sent by Dr. Jon Clarke on slope analysis and basic planetary geology. Dinner tonight is chana masala cooked by me (chickpeas with tomatoes and onions) and paratha, (flat bread) freshly made by Clare. (BTW the Indian food cooked by everyone on this crew is excellent). Maybe another game of cards after Comms and fingers crossed again for good weather tomorrow. We are ready for fieldwork.
Look Ahead Plan: Today’s postponed EVA to Cowboy Corner requested for tomorrow.
Anomalies in work: None
Weather: Very windy with SSW gusts of 25mph. The forecast today was cool with high cloud cover, maximum temperature 50F, now dropping.
Crew Physical Status: Nominal
EVA: none
Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist Report, Greenhab Report, Operations Report, EVA report, Astronomy Report, EVA request.
Support Requested: None

Sol: 11
Summary Title: The penultimate day
Author’s name: Andrew Wheeler
Mission Status: Nominal
Sol Activity Summary: Overcast, above freezing and potential for rain greeted us this morning. A complete contrast to the previous day. Two EVAs were planned to extend previous knowledge at Candor Chasma and White Moon. Prior to that, however, at 9:00am, we observed a minute silence in memoriam for the crew of Columbia on the 21st anniversary of their loss. Whilst the EVA team was away to Candor Chasma, concretion samples were processed and sorted for analysis. Lunch was the other half of the Hunza pie and very welcome indeed. The afternoon EVA to White Moon never got close due to the cold conditions. The turn around point for the rovers ended at a previous visited site past Cowboy Corner and so we expanded our investigations here. By good fortune, we were able to identify another concretion layer in the strata and located endoliths in a new setting. The EVA was wrapped up a little early as the distant snow capped mountains started disappearing behind misty cloud. Minutes after return, a sprinkling of rain pattered the roof. Burgers and chips were our last meal in simulation in the hab.
Look Ahead Plan: Tidying up the accrued data and the last analyses before leaving sim.
Anomalies in work: Nothing to report.
Weather: Overcast and warm under the clouds at 1C and 60% humidity. Temperature only rose to the low teens throughout the day. Snow appeared to be coating the distant mountains but only a sprinkling of rain was encountered at MDRS. The wind was faint to gentle during the day.
Crew Physical Status: Nominal.
EVA: EVA 19 with Steve, Scott and Alex to Candor Chasma. EVA 20 with Clare. Andrew and Rob to Cowboy Corner.
Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist’s Report, Greenhab Report, Operations Report, EVA report, EVA Request(s), Astronomer’s report (not needed)..
Support Requested: Nothing to request.