Category: Sol Summary

Crew 236 Sol Summary Report 22-DEC-2021

Sol: 3

Summary Title: Naps on Mars?

Author’s name: Kasey Hilton

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary: Life on Mars? *Cue David Bowie* We don’t know. Naps on Mars? Absolutely. The crew had an early wake-up and a quick breakfast before heading out to on EVA.

Due to a malfunction in comms, the EVA was cut short. The afternoon was spent relaxing and recharging, with 5 out of the 7 crew members taking naps. A bit of work was squeezed in before ending the evening with jambalaya and card games.

Look Ahead Plan: Tomorrow, Cesare (XO), Ben (JOU), Tyler (SCI), and Pavi (ENG) will go on a second EVA. The remaining crew members will stay at the Hab and continue to work on research and outreach.

Weather: Partly overcast, temperature in the 30s.

Crew Physical Status: A resounding “WOOHOO!” followed by a few thumbs up from the crew. Everyone is still in good health and spirits.

EVA: Today’s EVA ended earlier than planned due to a radio malfunction that caused a crew member to lose comms. Tomorrow the same EVA will be attempted again in order to complete the desired research.

Reports to be filed: Operations Report, GreenHab Report, EVA Request, EVA Report, Health and Safety Report, Sol Summary, and Journalist Report (with photos), Astronomy Report

Support Requested: Any information about the James Webb launch would be great (if it’s been delayed further, when is the launch scheduled for, etc.)

Sol: 2

Summary Title: Rain on Mars???

Author’s name: Madison Rooth

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary: This morning our crew gathered around our kitchen table and discussed our EVA plans over a breakfast of coffee and Cliff bars. EVA Team 1, consisting of CO Crisman, XO Rooth, and MCA Murphy, headed out via rovers Curiosity and Perseverance to Kissing Camel Ridge on the East side at 0900 to sample the regolith for later analysis. Team 1 returned at 1200 and relaxed over a lunch of cheese and broccoli soup.

EVA Team 2 consisting of GHO Montanez, ENG Moga, and HSO Milne embarked for their EVA to the West side of Kissing Camel Ridge at 1300. However, though the wind started at 10 mph at EVA start, it increased to around 15 mph shortly after embarkation with light rain while on EVA, so Team 2 turned around per EVA Briefing and returned to Hab. They arrived back at base at 1340.

After this, the crew worked on individual research for the rest of the day.

Look Ahead Plan: Conduct EVA to West side of Kissing Camel Ridge for EVA Team 2

Anomalies in work: Poor weather lead to an aborted EVA

Weather: Windy with a little bit of rain

Crew Physical Status: All good, 1 minor abrasion during morning EVA

EVA: 2 to Kissing Camel Ridge, the second one was aborted after about 30 minutes

Reports to be filed: Operations Report, HSO report, Images for SOL 1 and SOL 2

Support Requested: None at this time

Sol: 1

Summary Title: First Day of Martian Activity!

Author’s name: Madison Rooth

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary: Our crew awoke this morning and shared a breakfast of delicious pancakes cooked by Crew Artist Brian Murphy. After this, EVA Team 1 of CO Keith Crisman, XO Madison Rooth, and MCA Brian Murphy embarked to Marble Ritual for a geologic sampling and training EVA at 1000.Team 1 arrived back at the Hab at 1059 and cooled off while preparing EVA Team 2 for their mission to Marble Ritual. EVA Team 2 left Hab at 1332 and consisted of GHO Cynthia Montanez, HSO Emily Milne, and ENG Aidan Moga. Following EVA Team 2’s return to the Hab at 1500, we shared a delicious meal of rice, vegetables, and chicken. ENG Aidan and CO Crisman attempted to fix our waste facility (toilet) due to a freshwater leak). The crew then worked on individual research until dinnertime.

Look Ahead Plan: Conduct EVAs to Kissing Camel Ridge

Anomalies in work: No anomalies

Weather: Sunny and hot

Crew Physical Status: All good

EVA: 2 to Marble Ritual

Reports to be filed: Operations report on it’s way!

Support Requested: None at this time

Crew 239 Sol Summary Report 11-07-2021

Sol: 1

Summary Title: Beginning of sim

Author’s name: Madison Rooth

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary: We arrived in Hollow Mountain to fuel the CrewCar at 10:55am and arrived at the Hab at 11:45am. We conducted an overview of the site and met with Shannon shortly after. After system introductions and acclimating the Crew to their new surroundings, two members, XO Madison Rooth and ENG Aidan Moga followed Shannon into Hanksville to fill the HabCar tank with water from Hollow Mountain. Due to difficulties with the hose and pump, it took several hours to pump the water into the Static Tank. After this was completed, HSO Emily Milne and GHO Cynthia Montanez made the second trip into town to fill the HabCar tank and transfer it to the Static Tank. CO Keith Crisman, MCA Brian Murphy, and XO Madison Rooth repaired the window in the Hab’s main door due to it breaking from the high winds.

Look Ahead Plan: Conduct Marble Ritual EVAs

Anomalies in work: No anomalies

Weather: Sunny and windy

Crew Physical Status: All good

EVA: No EVA

Reports to be filed: HSO Report

Support Requested: None at this time

Crew 260 Sol Summary Report 04-11-2021

Sol: 3

Summary Title: The end of sim

Author’s name: Jen Carver-Hunter

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary: After eating our last breakfast in sim, we returned to Earth for a final lesson with Dr Rupert and Atila about biosignatures. Following our lesson, we went out into the “field” to the east of the Hab to look for biosignatures. We specifically focused on finding desert varnish and lichen. After returning to the Hab, we took a group field trip into town to visit Kathy at the rock shop, and enjoyed burgers and shakes at Stan’s. Returning to the Hab for our last afternoon together was bittersweet. We donned flight suits one last time to launch rockets. Then several members of the crew returned to road 1101 to search for the elusive purple galaxy rock. Upon their return, we began our end of mission duties – cleaning and writing reports.

Look Ahead Plan: Finish cleaning and check out

Anomalies in work: No anomalies

Weather: Sunny, warm, and pleasant

Crew Physical Status: All good

EVA: No official EVA

Reports to be filed: Operations report, Journalist report, end of mission summary

Support Requested: none at this time

Crew 260 Sol Summary Report 03-11-2021

Sol: 2

Summary Title: I found my thrill…

Author’s name: Jen Carver-Hunter

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary: The morning started with an EVA to collect the final geologic samples needed for our science objectives. We realized that our EVA (as planned) would leave the Hab manned with only one crew member, so David and Katie were chosen to remain at the Hab, but would be given the opportunity to complete their science objectives on a second EVA. EVA team 1 drove north on Cow Dung Rd, and easily maneuvered onto Brahe Hwy. After a short drive, we stopped to collect our geologic samples, and were thrilled to discover an entire hill covered with gryphaea. After collecting sufficient samples, we returned to rovers and headed back toward the Hab, stopping at a previously unexplored area between Brahe Hwy and Cowboy Corner. There we looked for “blueberries,” but were unsuccessful in meeting that objective. EVA team 1 returned to the Hab as planned at 1100. Once team 1 returned to the Hab, EVA team 2 prepared to leave. EVA team 2 followed the same route as team 1, but were more successful in finding “blueberries” in the previously unexplored area. EVA team 2 returned to the Hab with plenty of samples at 12:30. After a delicious lunch of “Explorer’s pie,” the crew continued sorting, categorizing, and labeling their geologic samples. Then, they built rockets!

Look Ahead Plan: Biosignature lesson with Dr Rupert, Biosignature fieldwork (out of sim), rocket launch (out of sim)

Anomalies in work: No anomalies

Weather: Sunny, warm, and pleasant

Crew Physical Status: All crew are healthy and strong. The injured knee has not gotten any worse, and the injured crew member continues to support the remaining crew as much as physically possible.

EVA: Geologic sample collection

Reports to be filed: Operations report, Journalist report

Support Requested: none at this time

Sol: 11

Summary Title: The Mission Winds Down

Author’s name: Dave Laude

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

After breakfast discussed the day’s activities, mostly cleaning and preparing campus for our departure.

Lindsay continued metagenomic regolith experiments in the ScienceDome and
Inga prepared for her upcoming presentation at the Mars Society
Conference. She will present machine learning findings about social
dynamics in space analogs.

For a Show and Tell during lunch break Dave talked about radio in the early 1920s and demonstrated a 1924 battery operated 2-tube receiver.

Dave and Inga took food inventory and entire crew performed general cleaning.

Weather: Cloudy, windy, dark, light rain and cold. Nice day to stay inside, clean and write reports.

Crew Physical Status: All crew nominal, except one scraped back of hand on irregular piece of wood. Very little slow bleeding stopped itself in a few minutes. Wound cleaned and bandaged.

EVA: None

Reports to be filed: Commander, Science, Photo, Sol Summary, Journalist.

Support Requested: None

END

Sol: 10 Summary Title: The Ultimate Penultimate Author’s name: Lindsay Rutter Mission Status: Nominal Sol Activity Summary: Our penultimate sol on Mars was quiet. Jin needed to obtain COVID planetary protection certifications for his return flight to Planet Earth. The nearest certification center was more than two hours away, at the Hanskville Spaceport. Dave and Jin departed the HAB around 0930, with Dave bringing science gloves to prevent touching the same space fuel nozzles at recharging fuel stations along the route. Inga and I remained at the HAB. Our radio communication with Dave and Jin only lasted for about ten minutes. They gave an estimated return time of 1630. Indeed, they were gone most of the day. I continued my metagenomic regolith experiments in the ScienceDome and Inga prepared for her upcoming presentation at the Mars Society Conference. She will present machine learning findings about social dynamics in space analogs. When I returned from the ScienceDome to the HAB to share lunch with Inga, she commented on how oddly quiet the HAB had felt when she was in it all alone for the first time! After Dave and Jin safely returned to the HAB, we made minor adjustments in our schedule for how to spend our final sol on Mars. I feel a bit of the "third-quarter effect" wafting throughout the HAB. But it is not as prominent as usual. We have several big events tomorrow that keep us anchored to our mission. Tomorrow, we will participate in the first Mars-to-Mars (M2M) Video Link. We will virtually celebrate Space Week together with the AARG-1 crew, who are located at the other station on Mars, UND ILMAH. We Areonauts have been kind and supportive to each other, with engaging conversations each day. Still, we are eager for this event, because it will break our routine and expand our fishbowl population from four to eight – even if just for one hour! Weather: Sunny, cloudy, and warm. Crew Physical Status: All crew nominal. EVA: None Reports to be filed: Science, Photo, Sol, Journalist, GreenHab, Operations Support Requested: None END

Sol: 10

Summary Title: The Ultimate Penultimate

Author’s name: Lindsay Rutter

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary: Our penultimate sol on Mars was quiet. Jin
needed to obtain COVID planetary protection certifications for his
return flight to Planet Earth. The nearest certification center was
more than two hours away, at the Hanskville Spaceport. Dave and Jin
departed the HAB around 0930, with Dave bringing science gloves to
prevent touching the same space fuel nozzles at recharging fuel
stations along the route. Inga and I remained at the HAB. Our radio
communication with Dave and Jin only lasted for about ten minutes.
They gave an estimated return time of 1630. Indeed, they were gone
most of the day.

I continued my metagenomic regolith experiments in the ScienceDome and
Inga prepared for her upcoming presentation at the Mars Society
Conference. She will present machine learning findings about social
dynamics in space analogs. When I returned from the ScienceDome to the
HAB to share lunch with Inga, she commented on how oddly quiet the HAB
had felt when she was in it all alone for the first time!

After Dave and Jin safely returned to the HAB, we made minor
adjustments in our schedule for how to spend our final sol on Mars. I
feel a bit of the "third-quarter effect" wafting throughout the HAB.
But it is not as prominent as usual. We have several big events
tomorrow that keep us anchored to our mission. Tomorrow, we will
participate in the first Mars-to-Mars (M2M) Video Link. We will
virtually celebrate Space Week together with the AARG-1 crew, who are
located at the other station on Mars, UND ILMAH. We Areonauts have
been kind and supportive to each other, with engaging conversations
each day. Still, we are eager for this event, because it will break
our routine and expand our fishbowl population from four to eight –
even if just for one hour!

Weather: Sunny, cloudy, and warm.

Crew Physical Status: All crew nominal.

EVA: None

Reports to be filed: Science, Photo, Sol, Journalist, GreenHab, Operations

Support Requested: None

END

Sol: 9

Summary Title: Sim Nears End

Author’s name: David Laude (XO)

Mission Status: Nominal, Hab fully prepared for in-sim operations

Sol Activity Summary: The day started with breakfast pancakes made
by Dave, during which time was discussed how our daily routine will run for
the next few sols. Dave and Inga completed EVA #6 to Candor Chasma. Jin started working
on a special edition of the journalist report for the final soul. Jin and Inga also
have been working on chili for dinner. Some greens were harvested from the
GreenHab for consumption. Lindsay has been using a DNA sequencer to identify
organisms. She investigated two regolith samples and got very low DNA yield so far.
She will continue with additional samples to see if she can get better DNA yield.
Either way, she will determine if she can identify particular microbes from low DNA yield.

Look Ahead Plan: Tomorrow will have a 7-8 hour break in sim for Dave and Jin as Jin needs to take a Covid test ahead of his flight from Grand Junction to Canada and Dave with a US drivers license will drive him for the test. Travel will be by Crew Car to Fruita just west of Grand Junction. The crew’s sim will soon end as they will clean the station for the next crew this Friday and depart MDRS Saturday for home.

Anomalies in work: Radio failure in field issues mostly battery related. Crew Engineer Dave will conduct more battery tests in hopes of culling out some weak batteries. Tests are done by charging a battery and then with a radio set to high power transmit level the push to talk button is held down with a clamp. A timer is used to time when the battery indicator in the radio indicates a depleted battery.

Weather: High of 71F today, partly cloudy. increasing winds in the afternoon with gusts ~20-25 MPH.

Crew Physical Status: All crew nominal.

EVA: Eva #6 with Dave and Inga to Candor Chasma was fully successful. Returned to airlock within seconds of planned arrival.

Reports to be filed: Science, Photo, Sol, Journalist

Support Requested: None

END