Category: Sol Summary

Crew 263 Sol Summary Report 24-02-2022

Sol: 3

Summary Title: Critical Alert in GreenHab

Author’s name: Cerise Cuny

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary: The morning EVA went pretty well, until one of the participants lost her mic, so we headed back to the Hab. The setup of the antenna was a great success and we were soon able to listen our first signals.

Just after lunch we were contacted by Shannon for an emergency in the GreenHab: we had to act right away to get rid of a fly contamination, all hands on deck. Sadly we had to get rid of all the plants, harvesting everything we could. There probably won’t be enough time to grow any new plants before the end of our sim. On the bright side, this evening, diner is going to be made of fresh vegetables.

This emergency prevented Elena and Mathéo from doing their afternoon EVA that should be postponed to Sol 5.

Look Ahead Plan: In the next days we are going to try to catch up with the missed experiments of this afternoon.

Anomalies in work: GreenHab emergency.

Weather: Mostly sunny.

Crew Physical Status: Good.

EVA: Two EVA’s. The morning EVA went well. The afternoon EVA was cancelled.

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, two EVA Request, EVA Report, Operations Report, Journalist Report, HSO Report.

Support Requested: We found a tool holder in the RAM which would fit perfectly our LIBS analyser for EVAs and would also allow us to carry it in a safer manner. Could we use it during our EVAs? We would put it in the RAM immediately after use.

Crew 263 Sol Summary Report 23-02-2022

Sol: 2

Summary Title: Tiresome cognitive experiments.

Author’s name: Cerise Cuny

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary: This morning we woke up with a Mars polar landscape, and immediately knew that the EVA would be jeopardized because of the snow. In the end, it was decided with mission support that we would only get out to change the batteries of the atmospheric experiment. It was a brief EVA (40 minutes); the landscape was beautiful. The Crew members that stayed in the Hab performed the ultrasound experiment for the CNES. After the EVA, our Crew Engineer repaired the faulty suit and swept the corridors.

In the afternoon, we went through our experiments just as planned. Mathéo and Marine did our human factors experiment, we all were subjects and operators for the ultrasound experiment, and Nicolas and I were subjects of a cognitive experiment. This last one was particularly exhausting: we had to teleoperate a rover lying on the side (among other body positions). I was totally disoriented, I flipped the rover, and it took me 15 minutes to get it back on its wheels! Nicolas is also frustrated because he flipped the rover too: this experiment may have an impact on our mood.

Look Ahead Plan: If the weather allows it, we will set up the antenna during the EVA to be able to start communicating with Toulouse, France (simulating another mars station) and explore a predefined geological area of interest for LIBS analysis. The afternoon will be less intense than today, just a few experiments and hopefully some rest.

Anomalies in work: None to report.

Weather: Cloudy, windy.

Crew Physical Status: Good.

EVA: One performed, everything went fine.

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, 2 EVA Requests, EVA Report, Operations Report, Journalist Report, Astronomy Report, HSO Report.

Support Requested: We are out of garbage bags, and digesters. Just in case it did not reach the right person yesterday: it would be more convenient for us to have a second working GPS for tomorrow’s EVA as we need to record the GPS information of the observed point. Currently, only one GPS is working, it would be better to have another one for redundancy.

Crew 263 Sol Summary Report 22-02-2022

Sol: 1

Summary Title: First steps on Mars!

Author’s name: Cerise Cuny

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary: At 7:00 AM, we did our first sport session organised by our HSO. After breakfast we prepared for our first EVA ; it was a bit longer than expected because we struggled with putting on the HoloLens inside the Spacesuit’s helmet. During the EVA, my crew mates really felt like they were on Mars and were positively surprised by how the spacesuits felt very real (or at least how they imagine a real Mars experience), because of their weight, the impact of the suit and gloves on mobility, and the constraint of the helmet on vision. We were unable to conduct one of the AR experiments because the HoloLens fell around the neck of Nicolas. Elena will improve the device for future EVAs.

After lunch some of us went through one of Crew 240’s human factors experiments while others did some prep work for tomorrow’s experiments such as the ultrasound protocol and the setup of the antenna. Our Journalist recorded the beginning of his podcast’s first episode, which sounds absolutely amazing! Bread is in the oven for dinner, it smells wonderful in the hab!

Look Ahead Plan: If the terrain conditions allow it, I will go on a second Initiation EVA to Marble Ritual with the three remaining crew members. In the afternoon, all crew members will perform ultrasound sessions, both as operators and subjects, in order to test a CNES protocole.

Anomalies in work: None to report.

Weather: Cloudy.

Crew Physical Status: Perfectly fine.

EVA: One performed, everything went fine except for the aforementioned HoloLens issue.

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, EVA Request, EVA Report, Operations Report, Journalist Report, Astronomy Report, HSO Report.

Support Requested: Only one GPS is working (we already tried changing batteries for the other ones) ; if possible we would like to have another working one for redundancy.

Crew 263 Sol Summary Report 21-02-2022

Sol: 0

Summary Title: Beginning of sim

Author’s name: Cerise Cuny

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary: This morning we went on with the training with Atila. We tried on the suits and everyone was attributed a specific suit number to keep during the whole mission. Then we tested the rovers on the main road from the MDRS to the intersection with Galileo Road. Back in the hab we went threw the maps. We were pleased to see that the points of interest for a Geological experience were definitely accessible. We went threw the sim philosophy with Atila. We tried to take photos in front of the Hab but the wind was too strong and we couldn’t keep our eyes open.

At noon, we enjoyed our last steps on Earth and definitely closed the door to start the sim. I did a quick motivational speech and each one of us expressed its expectations for this three-week experience as a group, on a professional point of view, and individually.

This afternoon we had some experiments to do : we did a tutorial for an Augmented Reality experiment, and some of us had individual experiments to prep for the rest of the sim.

Look Ahead Plan: Tomorrow we will do our first EVA and get more into the afternoon routine of experiments.

Anomalies in work: None

Weather: Violent gusts of wind, snow in the evening.

Crew Physical Status: Fine

EVA: None

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, EVA Request, Operation Report, Journalist Report, Astronomy Report, HSO Report.

Support Requested: We would need some salt and kitchen clothe if possible.

Crew 263 Sol Summary Report 20-02-2022

Sol: -1

Summary Title: First day of training

Author’s name: Cerise Cuny

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary: After a bit of a stressful morning, we managed to reach the MDRS and begun training with Atila. We did a quick tour around the station to discover the amazing Mars landscape. Our HSO completed the initial checklist while our Greenhab Officer watered the plants and the rest of the crew did a food inventory. We are extremely excited because it is the beginning of the mission that completes a year’s work. We can’t wait to begin the simulation.

Look Ahead Plan: We will go on with the training tomorrow, focusing on EVAs, and then start the sim.

Anomalies in work: None

Weather: Very windy, clear sky, a bit cloudy in the afternoon.

Crew Physical Status: Fine

EVA: None

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Bios & Photos, Crew Patch, HSO checklist.

Support Requested: None

Crew 240 Sol Summary Report 18Feb2022

Sol: 18

Summary Title: This is the end

Author’s name: Clément Plagne

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary: Today was the last day. The whole crew was abuzz with the idea of being out soon, but we still stayed focused for the EVA as we needed to get clean data for Pierre’s experiment. The afternoon was spent working on the last videos for our outreach programme and working on our final human factors tests, and before we knew it, it was time to exit the hatch and get some fresh air. After the pictures taken, and the last of the work done, it was time to prepare for what has to come after.

Look Ahead Plan: Well, not much left to do, is there? Let’s just get the station nice and clean for the next crew

Anomalies in work: None

Weather: Fair

Crew Physical Status: Good

EVA: One, nominal

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, EVA Report, Operations Report, HSO Report, Journalist Report, Pictures

Support Requested: None.

Crew 240 Sol Summary Report 14Feb2022

Sol: 14

Summary Title: Comme un Lundi

Author’s name: Clément Plagne

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary: That title’s French for “like a Monday”. Basically a non sequitur to mean that we’re back in the routine. That’s probably the most noticeable part, to me, of having 3 weeks to commit to a mission: after a while, the rush of setting things up, tinkering with them to have them work, running around because all the procedures aren’t yet hard-wired in your brain, it all comes to an end. And then it’s a lot a quiet, a lot of doing the same things the same way, a lot of just chugging along. Most of us end up having more time for themselves, since things run more smoothly. Makes people antsy and a little bored.

In many ways, that’s the big test for long term missions: just doing things, over and over again, waiting for the next day knowing it’ll be the same. And that’s probably the hardest part, likely harder than actually working hard to fix things. Today we went on EVA, took drone shots, tried a little 3D mapping, watered the plants, 3D printed stuff, recycled water, did improvised cookery, nothing we haven’t done a dozen times before. And we’ll do it again tomorrow, because that’s normal. We’ll only have to do it for a week, but some people have to do it for months. It’s hard to know how long we could do it, but a week is fine.

Look Ahead Plan: Well, um, doing it again tomorrow

Anomalies in work: None

Weather: Fair

Crew Physical Status: Fine

EVA: Went nominally

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, EVA Report, EVA Request, Journalist Report, Crew Pictures, Operations Report, HSO Report

Support Requested: None in particular

Crew 240 Sol Summary Report 17Feb2022

Sol:17

Summary Title: As the end draws near

Author’s name: Clément Plagne

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary: Mixed feelings in the Hab as to the idea of this being the last full day of sim for the mission. Some melancholy at the idea that the adventure will so soon be over, but also some ecstatic at the idea of coming back to the bustling life of modern days. One thing’s shared equally among all of us: a non-rehydrated meal and a night in a big bed can’t be so bad.

The day was marked by one of the final 2 EVAs, focused once again on observing the efficiency and performance improvements that can be brought on by the use of 3D mapping when planning spacewalks. Inside the Hab, people were busy with their human factors tests, with the quietly focused moments intersected by the recordings of our videos designed to reach out to schoolchildren and show them the science we perform and the life we live inside of the station.

Last time I came back out, a pandemic had overwhelmed the globe while we were in the station. This time can’t be that bad.

Look Ahead Plan: Tomorrow’s gonna be a busy busy day of finishing up these videos, and knocking out the few human factors tests that some of us still haven’t done. Doing Food Inventory and finishing up the Mission Summary will keep everyone else busy before leaving sim at last.

Anomalies in work: None to report

Weather: Fair

Crew Physical Status: All fine

EVA: One, performed nominally

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

Support Requested: None!

Crew 240 Sol Summary Report 16Feb2022

Sol: 16

Summary Title: Where did the days go

Author’s name: Clément Plagne

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary: The EVA was good, as we went looking for interesting pieces of petrified wood in the Kissing Camels area. I’d never felt as much like a kid, going around in a spacesuit looking for cool rocks; I’d also never felt as much like an old man, my back hurting from getting up and down picking things up. Those EVAs take a toll on you after a while. The views from higher up the ridge were incredible, though the high winds kicking up made coming back feel good, further satisfied by us meeting our objectives earlier than expected.

The afternoon felt like everything and nothing happened at the same time. More of the former, in the end, as after lunch many of us were busy in all the different parts of the station, recording videos about our experiments for our outreach programs back in Toulouse. Some others were typing up reports and summarizing the mission, while the rest were getting some well-deserved rest.

Look Ahead Plan: We’re looking at two days of intensive human factors tests before the end of the rotation, and between this and the videos we need to finish up, it’s going to be a very busy end of the mission!

Anomalies in work: None to report

Weather: Cloudy and windy.

Crew Physical Status: Member that had neck pain yesterday had the pain worsen overnight, but ibuprofen fixed it completely and we’re good with calling the whole thing a miracle of science.

EVA: One, performed nominally

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

Support Requested: None

Crew 240 Sol Summary Report 15Feb2022

Sol:15

Summary Title: Day in, day out

Author’s name: Clément Plagne

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary: Another EVA took place to Candor Chasma, leading to some very interesting footage and data recovered from the drone. We continued work around all the usual things we work on: Human Factors, Botanics, 3D Printing, Atmospheric Experiments, as well as recording some footage for later on in our outreach missions with young people in the Toulouse area. It’s scary, the way days start to blend together once we all get things into gear – some days are blink-and-you-miss-it. Let’s make those last few ones count!

Look Ahead Plan: Another day of a lot of the same!

Anomalies in work: None in particular

Weather: Fair

Crew Physical Status: Fine. One member still hesitant to go on EVA because of some neck pain, hoping it will stay good for the next day.

EVA: One, took place nominally

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

Support Requested: Would it be ok if we put in the hesitating crewmember on the EVA Request for tomorrow, and give advance warning in the morning if their condition gets a bit worse and they can’t participate anymore? If it’s better to just have it all ready as early as possible we can just have a 3 person EVA, that’s no issue.