Category: Sol Summary

Crew 293 Sol Summary Report 07-03-2024

Sol:18

Summary Title: A multi-faceted Crew

Author’s name: Marie Delaroche, Crew Commander

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

Today, our Crew Scientist dedicated most of his time to generating and “cleaning” the 3D map in order to render it usable to navigate the canyon. He finished just in time for the HSO and I to prepare tomorrow’s outing! We sketched remarkable sites and prominences in the landscape, to help us locate the checkpoints. I am particularly looking forward to this EVA, as I was unable to explore Candor Chasma during my last rotation at the Mars Desert Research Station.

Speaking of EVAs, the Crew Engineer changed all non-nominal suits’ batteries, and is currently running voltage and airflow tests to validate them for use.

Look Ahead Plan:

Two exploration EVAs are planned, on Sol 19 and 20, to explore Candor Chasma with the 2D and 3D maps. On Sol 19, the drone will be piloted from the Science Dome to capture images of the station’s surroundings and lay some groundwork for the next photogrammetry location.

Anomalies in work: So far, battery replacement on the non-nominal EVA suits seems to have worked. See Operations Report.

Weather: Cloudy, low 2°C, high 15°C

Crew Physical Status: Nominal

EVA: NA

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist’s Report, GreenHab Report, Operations Report, Photos (6-8 pics), EVA Request

Support Requested: NA

Crew 293 Sol Summary Report 08-03-2024

Sol: 19

Summary Title: Martian Topography

Author’s name: Marie Delaroche, Crew Commander

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

Today’s exploration of Candor Chasma with the 3D map was a success. All checkpoints were reached in less than an hour, leaving plenty of time to enjoy the beauty of the canyon and take pictures. The walk from the rovers to the chosen photogrammetry site was long, but the EVA was well timed and planned, and the Martian landscapes were worth it. The Crew Scientist, HSO and I returned from Candor Chasma before 1 PM, and we enjoyed lunch with the rest of the Crew.

In the afternoon, scheduling made it so that the Science Dome was occupied almost constantly, rushing the pace of the assessments and experiments a bit. No setbacks were experienced. The Crew Astronomer continued working on their project in the Observatory, while the GreenHab Officer started working on the drone footage shot this morning, at the beginning of the EVA. It looks quite promising!

Tonight, I assisted the Crew Astronomer in repairing the Observatory dome, an operation which proved unsuccessful; we ended up securing the opening with a tarp. Hopefully, we will be able to repair the dome when the sun comes up.

The length and intensity of the mission have slowly started to take their toll on the Crew; we are looking forward, after tomorrow’s second exploration EVA to Candor Chasma, to a restful 21st Sol.

Look Ahead Plan:

We have planned a second exploration EVA to Candor Chasma, involving another team of astronauts having prepared the EVA using the 2D map of the site. A stop will be made at the atmospheric instruments to retrieve the data and change the batteries.

Anomalies in work: NA

Weather: Sunny, Low 2°C, High 15°C

Crew Physical Status: Nominal

EVA: Candor Chasma exploration with 3D map

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist’s Report, GreenHab Report, Operations Report, Photos (6-8 pics), EVA Report, EVA Request, Astronomy Report

Support Requested: NA

Crew 293 Sol Summary Report 03-03-2024

Sol: 14

Summary Title: The White Planet

Author’s name: Marie Delaroche, Crew Commander

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

Today was a much needed rest day for the entire Crew. Morale is at an all-time high, everyone did a great job at mitigating the effects of accumulated stress and tiredness.

I finished conducting mid-rotation interviews, while our GreenHab Officer baked amazing muffins for everyone. We also spent time taking care of ourselves, washing our hair for the first time in two weeks, using less than 10 liters of water! We’re all feeling a lot better, and ready to dive headfirst into the next two weeks.

Look Ahead Plan:

The first Photogrammetry EVA at Candor Chasma is scheduled for tomorrow morning, paired with the food resupply, which we are all looking forward to.

Anomalies in work: EVA suits 3,4,5,7,9, Solar Observatory Offline

Weather: Partly cloudy, Low 0°C, High 10°C

Crew Physical Status: Nominal

EVA: NA

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist’s Report, GreenHab Report, Operations Report, Photos (6-8 pics), EVA Request

Support Requested: NA

Crew 293 Sol Summary Report 04-03-2024

Sol: 15

Summary Title: Who runs Candor Chasma? Boys!

Author’s name: Marie Delaroche, Crew Commander

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

Today, Mars had us working hard to adapt our schedule to its whims. A white blanket of snow had covered the plains, forcing us to put our EVA on hold for the time being. We reorganized our day so as to lose as little time as possible, an operation which was quite successful. In fact, our Crew Engineer even had the time to work out a system to insulate the battery using cardboard, cotton and black tape. His solution could be put to good use: at 1PM, the rescheduled EVA was confirmed, allowing the team to retrieve the data from atmospheric instruments, change the battery, and, of course, perform photogrammetry at Candor Chasma. The team came back to the Hab enchanted, and the entire Crew is looking forward to continuing participating in the study.

Other experiments are hitting a few snags, notably EchoFinder and AMI, but the Crew and Capcom are actively looking for solutions. On a more positive note, Léa and I have launched the Crew’s scientific outreach project. So far, we have three articles ready !

Look Ahead Plan:

Following the same plan as last week, the two exploration EVAs at Candor Chasma for the photogrammetry experiment are programmed on Sols 17 and 19.

Anomalies in work: EVA suits 3,4,5,7,9, Solar Observatory offline

Weather: Cloudy in the morning, then sunny; Low -2°C, High 10°C

Crew Physical Status: Nominal

EVA: Photogrammetry at Candor Chasma

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist’s Report, GreenHab Report, Operations Report, Photos (6-8 pics), EVA Reports

Support Requested: NA

Crew 293 Sol Summary Report 05-03-2024

Sol: 16

Summary Title: Sometimes you need to know how to start again…

Author’s name: Marie Delaroche, Crew Commander

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

Today, the Crew Scientist and GreenHab Officer, responsible for the photogrammetry study, realized that the map generated yesterday was not of sufficient quality to help the EVA teams locate the checkpoints. Rescheduling a photogrammetry EVA to Candor Chasma was no easy task, but in the end, we managed to rearrange everything in a way that would not impact our other studies too much.

As a result, this was a relatively quiet afternoon. The photogrammetry team developed a new strategy for tomorrow’s backup EVA, while the rest of the crew concentrated on keeping the station and experiments up and running.

Look Ahead Plan:

We are planning to perform a second photogrammetry EVA at Candor Chasma to map the area on Sol 17, and to reschedule the two follow up EVAs to Sol 19 and Sol 20.

Anomalies in work: EVA Suits 3,4,5,7,9, Solar Observatory offline

Weather: Mostly cloudy, low 0°C, high 15°C

Crew Physical Status: Nominal

EVA: NA

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist’s Report, GreenHab Report, Operations Report, Photos (6-8 pics), EVA Request

Support Requested: NA

Crew 293 Sol Summary Report 02-03-2024

Sol: 13

Summary Title: Winds in the East, Mist coming in

Author’s name: Marie Delaroche, Crew Commander

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

It feels very strange to change a well-established routine after two weeks! Usually, our mornings are planned to the second, however today we were forced to do things differently. The daily workout session had to be struck out of the schedule, in order to begin the emergency EVA as early as possible. Because of the very high winds and rain forecast, the outing to change batteries in the afternoon was rescheduled to 8 AM, to avoid the high winds. The objectives were changed, prioritizing the protection of the Field Mill and retrieval of the LOAC. The EVA was a success: all instruments are ready to face the Martian storm, the data has been collected, and batteries changed.

This afternoon, the winds set off a series of unfortunate events: the outer Airlock door was blown open, and the tunnel to the Science Dome was so deformed by the wind that the tarps started tearing. The Science Dome was deemed unsafe to travel to by the Crew, access has been restricted for the time being, until the winds slow down. As for the outer airlock door, Mission Support intervened to close it from the outside, after which we secured it using weights and ropes; the system is holding up so far. An alarm from our Anomaly Monitoring System also rang at 14:02; the issue was handled by the GreenHab Officer, following the protocol developed by our CapCom in Toulouse.

The Crew Engineer has finished the mid-rotation video, which we are excited to share tonight!

Look Ahead Plan:

We are aiming to start photogrammetry at Candor Chasma on Sol 15, if the weather conditions permit it. Sol 14 has been declared a rest day.

Anomalies in work: EVA suits 3,4,5,7,9 , Solar Observatory offline, Science Dome closed off

Weather: Partly cloudy, high winds (70-80 km/h gusts)

Crew Physical Status: Nominal

EVA: Atmospheric instruments retrieval and maintenance

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist’s Report, GreenHab Report, Astronomy Report, Operations Report, Photos (6-8 pics), EVA Report, Food Inventory, Mid-rotation science report

Support Requested: NA

Crew 293 Sol Summary Report 28-02-2024

Sol: 10

Summary Title: Time Flies !

Author’s name: Marie Delaroche, Crew Commander

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

As we near the mid-mission mark, it feels nice to have some novelty once in a while, to keep us focused and 100% invested in the mission.

This took many forms today: the Crew Astronomer and Journalist were out on EVA with the Crew Scientist, discovering North Ridge for the first time, and tasked with reaching the predefined checkpoints, after having studied a 3D map of the area. This outing, though rewarding for the many beautiful sights and satisfying scientific process, was physically draining for the EVA crew, and the atmospheric instruments presented many issues during the battery change. The crew was warmly greeted upon their return, and after lunch everyone returned to their activities. Our Crew Engineer, quite skilled with editing software, is working hard to prepare the mid-rotation video, while the GreenHab Officer and myself had another EchoFinder session. The software is very buggy, and the hardware is giving us some trouble; we will try to find solutions to mitigate this in the coming Sols.

The deployment of AMI, our anomaly monitoring interface, is also still underway; we are expecting a new and improved version of the software from our CapCom in Toulouse this weekend. Meanwhile, its daily use gives us the opportunity to do some quick troubleshooting and problem solving, keeping us on our toes. We are gradually getting used to it and integrating it in our daily routine!

Nothing is more priceless during such long-duration missions than seeing joy on fellow Crewmembers’ faces. Our Crew Astronomer had such a moment tonight, when she learned that there was a possibility for the Solar Observatory to be operational as of next week! We’re all hoping, praying, and crossing all possible fingers.

Look Ahead Plan:

Tomorrow morning (Sol 11), we would like to schedule an EVA to tend to the atmospheric devices, to try and find the source of the issues we are facing during data collection.

The second Photogrammetry EVA is scheduled on Sol 12.

Anomalies in work: EVA suits 3,4,5,7,9, Perseverance rover, radio #6, Solar observatory offline.

Weather: Sunny, low -4°C, high 15°C

Crew Physical Status: Nominal

EVA: Photogrammetry at North Ridge

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist’s Report, GreenHab Report, Operations Report, Photos (6-8 pics), EVA Reports, EVA Request

Support Requested:

Ben, thank you for your message regarding the resupply. We are ok to submit a request for scenario 1, with a 2-person crew. Would it be possible for you to leave the boxes not too close to the Hab (about 15-20 meters), to simulate a capsule having landed close to the station? Thank you for your support.

Crew 293 Sol Summary Report 29-02-2024

Sol: 11

Summary Title: It’s not a problem if there’s a solution

Author’s name: Marie Delaroche, Crew Commander

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

At morning’s close, the entire crew could breathe a little better: the source of the atmospheric instruments issue was found by the Crew Engineer and Crew Astronomer, and after analyzing the data gathered during the troubleshooting EVA, they concluded that all instruments were finally up and running!

An eventful morning gave way, as always, to a studious afternoon: the HSO and I have maybe found a solution to the technical issue that has been plaguing our EchoFinder sessions. This solution may or may not include tape and cardboard… Spirits lifted by our ingenious find, both of us started preparing tomorrow’s photogrammetry EVA using a 2D map, during which we will only have access to our notes and a few sketches of the checkpoints’ locations.

In anticipation of a potential final fix of the Solar Observatory next week, the Crew Astronomer was given access to the facility in order to start familiarizing herself with the instruments.

Look Ahead Plan:

We are looking to perform our third and final EVA at North Ridge on Sol 12, to test the effectiveness of a 2D map in preparing for an exploration EVA. On Sol 13 is scheduled a short EVA to change the atmospheric instruments’ battery, which will be paired with a food resupply. We are aiming to send the food inventory tomorrow during the Coms Window.

Anomalies in work: EVA suits 3,4,5,7,9

Weather: Sunny, Low -8°C, High 13°C

Crew Physical Status: Nominal

EVA: Atmospheric instruments troubleshooting

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist’s Report, GreenHab Report, Operations Report, Photos (6-8 pics), EVA Report, EVA Request

Support Requested: See incoming email from GreenHab Officer

Crew 293 Sol Summary Report 01-03-2024

Sol: 12

Summary Title: A Sol in March

Author’s name: Marie Delaroche, Crew Commander

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

The HSO and I had high hopes for this morning’s EVA, and rightfully so! We came back from North Ridge, all checkpoints reached, our GreenHab Officer treading in our wake and making note of our progress. The data gathered (number of steps, GPS tracking, time intervals) will be used by Earth-based researchers to determine the added value of a 3D map compared to a 2D map to prepare for an exploration EVA. Today’s results are bound to be interesting, as we (the 2D team) did better than the 3D team!

I spent the afternoon in the Science Dome, as a subject for EchoFinder, TILT and Orbital Architecture. Now that most experiments are running nominally, all Crew members follow a very specific schedule coordinating all of the studies. During the occasional unoccupied time slot, we have all found productive things to do: the Crew Engineer is currently editing an amazing mid-rotation video, and the Crew Astronomer is writing scientific outreach articles for our website.

It’s great to witness this crew at work. After only 12 Sols, it already feels like we have made the station both our workplace and our home.

Look Ahead Plan:

Tomorrow will officially mark the mid-rotation point, at which we hope to submit our video. In the morning, I will interview each Crew member individually, to check that everyone is feeling in shape, and ready to forge through the second half of our mission. An atmospheric instruments EVA is also planned in the afternoon to change the instruments’ battery (if the weather and wind conditions permit it).

Anomalies in work: EVA suits 3,4,5,7,9, Solar Observatory offline

Weather: Sunny, Low -5°C, High 20°C

Crew Physical Status: Nominal

EVA: Photogrammetry, North Ridge

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist’s Report, GreenHab Report, Operations Report, Photos (6-8 pics), EVA Report, EVA Request

Support Requested: NA

Crew 293 Sol Summary Report 27-02-2024

Sol: 9

Summary Title: Draw me a Mountain

Author’s name: Marie Delaroche, Crew Commander

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

A particularly studious Sol for everyone, especially for our Crew Scientist, who worked incessantly to find and place all virtual checkpoints on the generated 3D map, before giving it to the team designated to go out on EVA tomorrow. The Crew Journalist and HSO had one hour to study the map, take notes and try to situate the checkpoints which they will have to reach on-site, during their EVA.

As a crew, we filmed a series of videos to present the station and our experiments, as part of our outreach initiative for middle and high-schoolers. The Crew Astronomer and I also spent our morning drafting scientific outreach articles for our website!

Routine operations included data handling for the HSO, GreenHab maintenance for our GreenHab Officer, and an EchoFinder session for myself. And to the entire crew’s delight, the HSO took it upon herself to bake cookies for the entire crew, just in time for a mid-afternoon snack; they were delicious!

Look Ahead Plan:

Tomorrow, the first EVA team, composed of the Crew Journalist, Crew Astronomer and Crew Scientist, is scheduled to go to North Ridge to find the previously established checkpoints. This will be done using the 3D map, generated on Sol 8, while the second team will use the 2D map on Sol 12.

Anomalies in work: EVA suits 3,4,5,7,9 ; Solar observatory offline

Weather: Sunny & windy, low 5°C, high 20°C

Crew Physical Status: Nominal

EVA: NA

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist’s Report, GreenHab Report, Operations Report, Photos (6-8 pics), EVA Request

Support Requested:

Regarding the GreenHab water tank resupply, the GreenHab Officer discussed it with the crew, and we have decided it was not necessary for us to participate in the resupply.

However, regarding the food resupply, we were wondering if it was possible to do it during a short EVA? The food boxes could be left near the Hab, 3 crew members could suit up to retrieve the cartons, place them in the airlock, and reenter the station through the RAM airlock (for example). Would something like this be possible?

Thank you!