Category: Sol Summary

Sol: 12
Summary Title: Mission End
Author’s name: Jas Purewal
Mission Status: Nominal
Sol Activity Summary:
Cleaning. Made 2 microscope slides, looked at melted ice samples – nothing alive. Rehydrated lichen – amazed to see the difference between the fungi and the organism responsible for photosynthesis. Broke sim at 2pm. Took photos in front of the hab. Went to dinner in Hanksville with Shannon and Sergii.
Look Ahead Plan: Last bit of cleaning/packing and leaving for Grand Junction.
Anomalies in work: None
Weather: Rather nice. Sunny, clear. No rain.
Crew Physical Status: Good.
EVA: No EVA
Reports to be filed:
Commander’s report
GreenHab
Operations report
Sol Summary report
Journalist report

Support Requested: none

Sol: 11
Summary Title: The final countdown
Author’s name: Jas Purewal
Mission Status: Nominal
Sol Activity Summary:
EVA at 10:30 to the Special Region. Several samples were collected on behalf of the crew Biologist. Biologists analyzed samples. Adjourning phase training.
Look Ahead Plan: Final day of sim. Cleaning in the morning. Breaking sim at 2pm.
Anomalies in work: None
Weather: Rather nice. Sunny, clear. No rain.
Crew Physical Status: Good.
EVA: XO, CDR took Spirit and Curiosity to The Special Region to search for biological samples. Several samples were collected.
Reports to be filed:
Commander’s report
GreenHab
EVA report
EVA request
Operations report
Sol Summary report
Journalist report

Support Requested: none

Sol: 10
Summary Title: Thanksgiving on Mars
Author’s name: Jas Purewal
Mission Status: Nominal
Sol Activity Summary:
EVA at 10:00 to Special Region. 9 biological samples were collected, including cloudy ice. This afternoon we celebrated Thanksgiving with the ultimate feast.
Look Ahead Plan: Commander and XO going on EVA to 1105 via Summerville Overlook to scout lichen for crew Biologist. Additionally searching for hydrous minerals, clays, sulfates and silica. Crew biologists will analyze collected samples. Training from Commander on “The gifts of fear and intuition and how to survive the unthinkable”.
Anomalies in work: None
Weather: Rather nice. Sunny, clear. No rain.
Crew Physical Status: Dizzy crew member is feeling much better.
EVA: XO, HSO and Biologist (The dream team) took Spirit and Curiosity to The Special Region to search for biological samples. 9 biological samples were collected.
Reports to be filed:
Commander’s report
GreenHab
EVA report
EVA request
Operations report
Sol Summary report
Journalist report

Support Requested: none

Sol: 9
Summary Title: Trouble on Mars
Author’s name: Jas Purewal
Mission Status: Nominal
Sol Activity Summary:
A full day of EVA’s today. Morning walking search and rescue EVA. Afternoon EVA to test the robotic arm and collect biological samples. Crew Biologist is working on documentation of samples. Collected 43 unique individual samples.
Look Ahead Plan: XO, HSO and Biologist EVA at 10:30am to the Special Region, making a stop at Gateway to Lith for a Biological sample collecting mission. Afternoon will be Thanksgiving celebrations.
Anomalies in work: None
Weather: Rather nice. Sunny, clear. No rain.
Crew Physical Status: One crew member still feels a little dizzy, but improved from yesterday.
EVA: EVA 10 – XO and HSO walked to the Gateway to Candor and simulated a twisted ankle. EVA crew radioed into HABCOM for help. HABCOM sent two crew in two rovers (Opportunity and Curiosity) to rescue the injured crew member. All crew returned safely to the hab at the expected EVA end time. A very successful rescue mission was completed. The second EVA of the day, EVA 11 in the afternoon, was to Cowboy Corner. The Commander, Biologist and Engineer took Spirit and Perseverance. 7 samples collected including ice, root soil and plants. Pleiades was 50% successfully collecting rocks, it broke as expected from the handle and the pads from the long arms. These were the weak points that were deliberately pushed to breaking point. As it was breaking, it was visually confirmed that the operation was being affected by the weather (e.g. accumulation of debris).
Reports to be filed:
Commander’s report
GreenHab
EVA report
EVA request
Operations report
Sol Summary report
Journalist report

Support Requested: none

Sol: 8
Summary Title: Hiking on Mars
Author’s name: Jas Purewal
Mission Status: Nominal
Sol Activity Summary:
Spent the morning doing training, which included crisis management and VR first aid. The crew engineer categorized her rocks for a carry capacity test for her Pleiades anchor. In the afternoon the EVA crew headed out to the sea of shells, parking the rovers near the overlook on Brahe Hwy and walking the rest of the way. Today’s EVA was by far the most strenuous yet, but well worth it for the biological samples that were collected.
Look Ahead Plan: Two EVA’s planned for tomorrow. A morning EVA on foot to nearby Gateway to Candor. Afternoon EVA for engineering demo and biological sample collection at Cowboy Corner.
Anomalies in work: None
Weather: Rather nice. Sunny, clear. No rain.
Crew Physical Status: Good
EVA: EVA 8 – XO, HSO and Biologist went to the Sea of Shells via the Overlook on Brahe Hwy for biological sample collection. Curiosity and Spirit were driven on Cow Dung Rd and Brahe Hwy, stopping just before the Overlook. Once at the overlook, the rovers were parked and the crew headed out on foot to The Sea Shells. Samples collected included: ice; mud next to ice; 3 plant samples; 1 salty rock; 3 samples of dirt from roots of three plants; 3 plant samples.
Reports to be filed:
Commander’s report
GreenHab
EVA report
EVA request
Operations report
Sol Summary report
Journalist report

Support Requested: none

Sol: 7
Summary Title: Biologist down
Author’s name: Jas Purewal
Mission Status: Nominal
Sol Activity Summary:
Read about lichen and did research on how to identify lichen. Planted 18 plants. Commander, Communications officer and Engineer did a walking EVA at 2:45pm to Hab Ridge Rd N. Searching for hydrous minerals. Conducted an emergency exercise that simulated a crew member fainting. The crew performed admirably.
Look Ahead Plan: Morning crisis communication education and VR first aid training and scenario 3. 1:30pm to 4:30pm EVA to Sea of Shells via the Overlook on Brahe Hwy 1572.
Anomalies in work: None
Weather: Rather nice. Sunny, clear. No rain.
Crew Physical Status: Good
EVA: EVA 8 – Commander, Communications officer and Engineer did a walking EVA at 2:45pm to Hab Ridge Rd N. Searching for hydrous minerals. Found many sea shells, they were not collected but rock samples were collected.
Reports to be filed:
Commander’s report
GreenHab
EVA report
EVA request
Operations report
Sol Summary report
Journalist report

Support Requested: none

Sol: 6
Summary Title: Lichens on Mars
Author’s name: Jas Purewal
Mission Status: Nominal
Sol Activity Summary: Crew headed out for a morning EVA to “The Peanut” via Cow Dung Rd and Galileo Rd. Collected 5 lichen samples that appeared to be different.
In the afternoon the crew had a round table session to talk about challenges and opportunities for women in STEAM followed by a discussion about being authentic as women in our professional life. We simulated an ankle break and how to treat it.
Look Ahead Plan: Make slides of the lichen collected to look at under the microscope. Commander, Communications officer and Engineer will do a walking EVA at 3pm to Hab Ridge Rd N. Searching for hydrous minerals.
Anomalies in work: None
Weather: Rather nice. Sunny, clear. No rain.
Crew Physical Status: Good
EVA: EVA 7 – Crew headed out for a morning EVA at 8am to “The Peanut” via Cow Dung Rd and Galileo Rd. Collected 5 lichen samples that appeared to be different.
Reports to be filed:
Commander’s report
GreenHab
EVA report
EVA request
Operations report
Sol Summary report
Journalist report

Support Requested: none

Sol: 5
Summary Title: Misstep on Mars
Author’s name: Jas Purewal
Mission Status: Nominal
Sol Activity Summary: Crew headed out for a morning EVA to the junction of Cow Dung Rd and Brahe Hwy to test the recently serviced rovers. Opportunity overheated on the return leg of EVA. The crew waited for ~ 10 mins but Oppy still didn’t start. They left Oppy in the field and returned back to the hab. As there was more time left in the EVA, the EVA crew learnt that they should have waited another 20 mins for Oppy to cool before returning. Lesson Learned. The rover keys were brought back to the hab and left in the RAM for the outpost team to retrieve.
In the afternoon the crew reviewed the EVA and lessons learned. Discussed mission and EVA planning. Did VR first aid training and practised splinting a broken ankle. We also spent some much needed relaxation time, played chess and made Mac n Cheese (with a kick). The crew Biologist made LB and PDA plates in the Science Dome.
Look Ahead Plan: One morning EVA planned from 8am to 10:30am. XO, HSO and Biologist taking Spirit and Curiosity to explore “The Peanut” via Cow Dung and Galileo Rd to collect biological samples with a focus on lichen and any soil around plants. In the afternoon we will do more VR first aid training and team development training. The crew biologist will analyse the collected samples and use the LB plates to grow collected samples in the Science Dome.
Anomalies in work: None
Weather: Rather nice. 42F, sunny, clear. No rain.
Crew Physical Status: Good
EVA: EVA 6 – Crew headed out for a morning EVA at 9:30am to the junction of Cow Dung Rd and Brahe Hwy to test the recently serviced rovers. Opportunity overheated on the return leg of the EVA. The crew waited for ~ 10 mins but Oppy still didn’t start. They left Oppy in the field and returned back to the hab. As there was more time left in the EVA, the EVA crew learnt that they should have waited another 20 mins for Oppy to cool before returning. Lesson Learned. The rover keys were brought back to the hab and left in the RAM for the outpost team to retrieve.
Reports to be filed:
Commander’s report
GreenHab
EVA report
EVA request
Operations report
Sol Summary report
Journalist report

Support Requested: Retrieval for Opportunity rover

Sol:4
Summary Title: First harvest
Author’s name: Izabela Shopova
Mission Status: Nominal
Sol Activity Summary: Two EVAs – collecting samples from White Rock Canyon and on-foot orientation expedition near the Hub. In the morning we completed the second session of the First Aid training, the crew engineer repaired the kitchen sink drain, and in the afternoon the crew scientist planted mushrooms and harvested the first batch of microgreens for our dinner salad.
Look Ahead Plan: Tomorrow we have planned two EVAs back-to-back in the afternoon and will continue working on on-going projects.
Anomalies in work: None
Weather: Clear, sunny and warm for the season.
Crew Physical Status: Nominal.
EVA: Two successful EVAs: Morning EVA with Opportunity and Perseverance to White Rock Canyon; Afternoon EVA on-foot in the area of the Hub.
Reports to be filed:
Commander’s report
GreenHab
EVA report
EVA request
Operations report
Sol Summary report
Support Requested: None
Thank you, Mission support.

Sol: 3
Summary Title: Intertribal Space conference
Author’s name: Izabela Shopova
Mission Status: Nominal
Sol Activity Summary:
We had a late start today giving us an extra hour of sleep in the morning to compensate for the late night, watching the recorded Artemis launch. After breakfast, we completed the first part of the VR First Aid training and our commander supported the Intertribal conference as planned. There were no questions from the conference. The afternoon EVA highlighted some communication issues which we discussed in the debriefing before dinner. Crew scientists collected samples for research and the crew took amazing photos.
Look Ahead Plan: Two EVAs tomorrow as planned and continued work on other projects
Anomalies in work: Radio contact was lost during EVA. The crew on EVA was able to communicate with each other but CapCom couldn’t hear them.
Weather: Cold, sunny and clear.
Crew Physical Status: Good. The crew is making an effort to drink more water and keep hydrated.
EVA: Successful afternoon EVA to White Rock canyon for biological samples collection.
Reports to be filed:
Sol Summary
Operations Report
Commander’s Report
EVA Request
EVA Report
Support Requested: None

Thank you Mission support