Category: Sol Summary

Crew 265 Sol Summary Report 06-05-2022

Sol: 12

Summary Title: Return to Earth

Author’s Name: Marc Levesque, Crew Commander

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

Our crew woke up this morning to the crisp desert air of Earth. The first order of business was to retrieve the repeater on North Ridge, a much faster process than setting it up in EVA suits. The rest of the sol was spent packing our equipment and personal gear, finishing reports, starting to clean the station, and meeting with the Station Director to review the mapping and communications projects.

After a busy sol, we enjoyed one last dinner together.

Look ahead plan: Tomorrow we’ll finish cleaning the Hab and then depart for our respective homes or other destinations. We’re tired but satisfied with what we have accomplished.

Anomalies in work: None

Crew Physical Status: Good

EVA: None

Reports to be filed:

Sol Summary

Operations Report

Support Requested: None

Crew 265 Sol Summary Report 04-05-2022

Sol: 10

Summary Title: Yeoman’s Service

Author’s Name: Marc Levesque, Crew Commander

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

The radio repeater battery finally called it quits after a cold night and yeoman’s service for nine sols, far beyond expectations.

Prior to the morning’s EVA departing, a discussion was held with the Station Director and crew members on how best to replace the battery, in sim or not. After some discussion, it was decided to quickly complete the replacement out of sim to maintain repeater operation, which was subsequently accomplished.

Following that, two EVAs were completed. Social media filming was done during a climb of Phobos Peak, and another EVA conducted comms checks south of the Hab in the White Rock Canyon and Barrainca Butte areas.

Look Ahead Plan: One EVA is planned for tomorrow and continued activity on mission projects. Work will also begin on end-of-mission reports, as the crew will be going out of sim on Friday morning.

Anomalies in work: None

Crew Physical Status: Good

EVA: None

Reports to be filed:

Sol Summary
Operations Report
HSO Report
Crew Journalist
EVA Request
EVA Report
Pictures and Picture of the Day

Support Requested: None

Crew 265 Sol Summary

03-05-2022

Sol: 9

Summary Title: Descent into Candor Chasma

Author’s Name: Marc Levesque, Crew Commander

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

The crew completed another successful communications project test during an EVA deep in Candor Chasma. Commander Levesque with crew members Blanco and Licea conducted several communications checks with the Hab on a project VHF radio, while having no contact on an MDRS UHF radio channel. Walking down the sinuous canyon, they were awed by the sculptured walls shaped long ago by running water, similar to what scientists believed occurred on Mars eons ago. Along with Lith Canyon, Candor Chasma provides a great Mars analog setting for MDRS crews. Back at the Hab, video editing continued for the social media project.

Look Ahead Plan: One EVA is planned for tomorrow and continued activity on mission projects.

Anomalies in work: None

Crew Physical Status: Good

EVA: None

Reports to be filed:

Sol Summary

Operations Report

HSO Report

Crew Journalist

EVA Request

EVA Report

Pictures and Picture of the Day

Support Requested: None

Crew 265 Sol Summary Report 30-04-2022

Sol: 6

Summary Title: Overlook of Phobos

Author’s Name: Marc Levesque, Crew Commander

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

The primary activity of Crew 265 was an EVA to the Moon Overlook area as a representative journey to Phobos. Crew members Laude, Treadwell, and Licea traveled on rovers to this area and well to the north conducting communication checks with the test repeater along the way and recording road conditions. While there were some gaps in communications with the Hab, the team was able to call in once they reached Muddy Creek, 6.2 km from the repeater on North Ridge. Of note is that at no time along their route once they left Cow Dung Rod were they able to reach the Hab using a MDRS radio channel, proving the effectiveness of the test repeater for long distance EVAs.

Look Ahead Plan: No EVA is planned for tomorrow. The crew has been hard at it, so they have earned a well-deserved day of rest.

Anomalies in work: None

Crew Physical Status: Good.

EVA: EVA# 6 was accomplished.

Reports to be filed:

Sol Summary

Operations Report

HSO Report

Crew Journalist

EVA Report

Pictures and Picture of the Day

Support Requested: None

Crew 265 Sol Summary 02-05-2022

Sol: 8

Summary Title: Mars Green View

Author’s Name: Marc Levesque, Crew Commander

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

The crew completed another successful communications project test during an EVA to Mars Green View and the Lith Canyon Road area. XO Laude with crew members Iakymov, Blanco, and Licea rode out to the end of Cow Dung Road for a short walk at Green Mars View and then drove back to the end of Lith Canyon Road and walked to the north, conducting radio checks throughout their EVA. Back at the Hab, it was pretty quiet, with only video editing for the social media project.

Look Ahead Plan: One EVA is planned for tomorrow and continued activity on mission projects.

Anomalies in work: None

Crew Physical Status: Good

EVA: None

Reports to be filed:

Sol Summary

Operations Report

HSO Report

Crew Journalist

EVA Request

EVA Report

Pictures and Picture of the Day

Support Requested: None

Crew 265 Sol Summary Report 01-05-2022

Sol: 7

Summary Title: Rest Day

Author’s Name: Marc Levesque, Crew Commander

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

Our crew took a well-deserved day off from outside activities and projects. Some personal time, sharing pictures and videos of our past experiences, and some mid-mission station cleaning were the chief activities of the sol. In the evening we had a dinner of baked potatoes, also known as Watneys, while watching The Martian. All in all, it was a good down day.

Look Ahead Plan: One EVA is planned for tomorrow along with continuing all mission projects.

Anomalies in work: None

Crew Physical Status: Good.

EVA: None

Reports to be filed:

Sol Summary

Operations Report

HSO Report

Crew Journalist

EVA Request

Pictures and Picture of the Day

Support Requested: None

Crew 265 Sol Summary Report 27Apr2022

Sol: 3

Summary Title: All projects underway

Author’s Name: Marc Levesque, Crew Commander

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

Crew 265 commenced all of its major projects today. Communications testing was conducted to the south of the Hab via Rovers and on foot at Kissing Camel Ridge East and West and Zubrin’s Head. The mapping project compiled the results of its datum check at The Peanut and submitted the results to the Station Director. The Smart Home optimization project installed devices and set up a Smart Home Server. The Social Media project started videotaping interviews with some crew members. Additionally, GIS training was provided to the mapping technicians, and battery analyzing was continued by the Crew Engineers.

Look Ahead Plan: One EVA is planned for tomorrow to continue communications testing and road condition mapping. Energy monitoring, crew interviews, and battery analysis will also continue.

Anomalies in work: None

Crew Physical Status: Good.

EVA: EVA# 3 was accomplished.

Reports to be filed:

Sol Summary
Operations Report
HSO Report
Crew Journalist
EVA Request
EVA Reports
Pictures and Picture of the Day

Support Requested: None

Crew 265 Sol Summary Report 04/26/22
Sol: 2
Summary Title: First full Sol on Mars
Author’s Name: Marc Levesque, Crew Commander

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

Crew 265 began its first full day on Mars with a full course of project activities during two EVAs. During the morning, the crew set up a radio repeater on North Ridge to begin testing its capabilities for the communications project. The climb up North Ridge was steep in sections, but the team was able to reach the site despite carrying several pieces of heavy equipment.

The entire EVA took only two hours to accomplish the task, well under the amount of time planned. The repeater was then operational for the afternoon EVA that tested radio communications with the Hab to the east in Candor Chasma. Prior to that, the EVA team also ascended The Peanut to conduct a mapping project objective to determine mapping datum accuracy. Despite some issues with the project radios, results so far from using the repeater are encouraging.

Look Ahead Plan: One EVA is planned for tomorrow to test the radio repeater at Kissing Camel Ridge and Zubrin’s Head. The Smart Home energy project will also commence at the Hab, while the Social Media project will continue there as well.

Anomalies in work: None

Crew Physical Status: Good.

EVA: None

Reports to be filed:

Sol Summary
Operations Report
HSO Report
Crew Journalist
EVA Request
EVA Reports
Pictures and Picture of the Day

Support Requested: None

Crew 265 Sol Summary Report 04/25/22

Sol: 1

Summary Title: Starting Sim

Author’s Name: Marc Levesque, Crew Commander

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

Crew 265 met with Station Director Rupert this morning to review the mapping project and its objectives. Chief among these will be to collect new feature points and determine the condition of roads used for EVAs. This information will be used to update the current EVA planning map at MDRS. The crew then completed their training on handheld radios, EVA suits, and Rovers before starting sim at 1200. The afternoon was spent conducting battery checks on the EVA backpacks and preparing the equipment for the radio communications project.

Look Ahead Plan: Two EVAs are planned for tomorrow. The first will set up the radio repeater on North Ridge in the morning to begin the communications project. The afternoon EVA will undertake a mapping project objective at The Peanut and then start communications testing and road mapping from there to the Candor Chasm.

Anomalies in work: None

Crew Physical Status: Good.

EVA: None

Reports to be filed:

Sol Summary

Operations Report

HSO Report

Crew Journalist

EVA Requests

Pictures with Picture of the Day

Support Requested: Large quantity of white flour (Previous crew did not accurately record its quantity in their concluding food inventory.)

[Crew 265 Sol Summary April 24th]

Crew 265 Sol Summary Report 04/24/22

Sol: 0

Summary Title: Arrival at MDRS

Author’s Name: Marc Levesque, Crew Commander

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

Crew 265 arrived at MDRS over the weekend and settled into the Hab this afternoon. Three water runs were made to fill the water tank, with a potential fourth run required before going into sim. Some of the crew tried on their EVA gear, with the rest scheduled for tomorrow. The crew also expressed their appreciation for the fast Internet service.

Look Ahead Plan: The crew will meet with Station Director Rupert to complete their orientation on EVAs and Rovers and will conduct an additional water run if needed. Following that, we expect to go into sim at noon.

Anomalies in work: None

Crew Physical Status: Good and excited to be starting their mission.

EVA: None

Reports to be filed:

Sol Summary

Operations Report

HSO Report

Support Requested: None