Crew 215 Sol Summary Report 20-NOV-2019
Sol: 10
Summary Title: Rain on Mars?
Author’s name: Andrew Wheeler
Mission Status: Active
Sol Activity Summary: Overnight rain made the environs impassable so all activities
were confined to the habs. In the Green Hab, pots were filled in preparation for more
seedlings and in the Science Dome, gypsum was heated and rehydrated to create cement
tiles that were set aside for drying and strength testing. There are only 10 more
planned for this expedition. In addition, the water liberated from the heating process
was captured and will be investigated for suitability as a basis for medical solutions.
Meanwhile, the main hab became a haven for report writing. The afternoon saw more
gypsum cement tiles were constructed and dinner approached. Tonight,it was a spicy
jambalaya followed by chocolate chip cookies and lime and pineapple jelly.
Look Ahead Plan: Plantings in the Green Hab, the final 10 gypsum cement tiles to be
created and set aside for drying and an actual gypsum plaster of paris milled for a
splint making demonstration.
Anomalies in work: Three false alarms with smoke detectors (caused by water/humidity).
Weather: Rain and clouds clearing, light winds.
Crew Physical Status: Healthy
EVA: N/A.
Reports to be file: Sol Summary Report, Operations Report, Science Report, Green Hab
Report, Journalist Report, Daily Photos.
Support Requested: N/A
Sol Summary – Nov 10th
Crew 215 Sol Summary Report 10-NOV-2019
Sol: 0
Summary Title: Crew 215 in residence
Author’s name: Andrew Wheeler
Mission Status: In the commissioning phase
Sol Activity Summary: Introducing Crew 215. Andrew Wheeler Crew Commander and Science Officer is an exploration geologist continuing sampling for the micrometeorite flux and use of gypsum as an ISRU analogue. Guy Murphy Green Hab Officer and Journalist is the Mars Society representative who will grow and nurture the crops and provide daily commentary including photos. Steve Whitfield Health and Safety Officer, from Griffith University, is a lecturer in paramedicine who will investigate health and well being in isolated communities. Jennifer Lane EVA coordinator is a Curtin University doctoral candidate in ‘Marsitecture’ and is investigating habitat design. Larissa Wilson Quartermaster of food and water stores is a mechanical engineering student at the University of Canterbury (NZ) evaluating acoustics, will be identifying and attenuating noise sources and levels. Shane Usher Crew Engineer and IT Officer is a chemist and chemical engineer from the University of Melbourne who will be evaluating communications, data management and information dissemination within closed systems. After introductions, later in the morning, we bid farewell to crew 214 members Dianne McGrath and Sandy Dance before spending the afternoon with the hab briefing, doffing and donning of space suits, egress, and ingress through the airlocks and operation of rovers. Finally, after a hot meal, we settled in to await our first dawn on Mars.
Look Ahead Plan: Reconnaissance EVA to the wash area south of Zubrin’s Head. Preparations for the setting out of the micrometeorite sampling grid.
Anomalies in work: N/A
Weather: Marginally below freezing overnight, no breeze, partly cloudy.
Crew Physical Status: Healthy
EVA: None
Reports to be file: Sol Summary Report, Operations Report, HS Report, GreenHab Report, EVA Request, Photos.
Support Requested: Nil
Crew 215 Sol Summary 19Nov2019
[title Sol Summary – November 19th]
[category Sol-Summary ]
Crew 215 Sol Summary Report 19-NOV-2019
Sol: 9
Summary Title: The last EVA
Author’s name: Andrew Wheeler
Mission Status: Active
Sol Activity Summary: Gypsum experimentation got underway with the first samples being heated for either 5 or 10 minutes, either mixed with sand or not, reconstituted with 4ml or 8ml of water and set to dry in trays. During these experiments it became clear that the liberated water (distilled water equivalent) could be used to create a saline solution for medical needs and that the fine grained gypsum was actual plaster of paris and could be used for its original medical purpose. The morning also saw the last EVA as we returned training rock specimens to their original collection locations west of White Rock Canyon along 1101 Road (519500E 4247300N). The afternoon saw further experimentation with the gypsum samples and potting of new seedlings in the Green Hab. The sol was rounded out with Taco Tuesday, and fruit jelly with chocolate pudding for desert.
Look Ahead Plan: More plantings in the Green Hab and a continuation of the gypsum cement investigations.
Anomalies in work: N/A.
Weather: Possible rain overnight and during the day, light winds.
Crew Physical Status: Healthy
EVA: Sample return. See EVA Report.
Reports to be file: Sol Summary Report, Operations Report, Science Report, EVA Report, Green Hab Report, Journalist Report, Daily Photos.
Support Requested: N/A
Sol Summary – Nov 17th
Crew 215 Sol Summary Report 17-NOV-2019
Sol: 7
Summary Title: Day of Rest
Author’s name: Andrew Wheeler
Mission Status: Active
Sol Activity Summary: Today was a day off where not only the batteries got to recharge.
Personal chores and inactivity marked our day as we relaxed our way to the evening meal and the daily link with CapCom. It’s nice to be on Mars soaking in the grandeur.
Look Ahead Plan: Tomorrow sees a long-range emergency retrieval simulation EVA in the afternoon. The morning will see the gypsum cement experiments kick into full attention with the completion of the sampling and dismantling of the micrometeorite grid.
Anomalies in work: N/A.
Weather: Just freezing overnight, light winds, clear skies.
Crew Physical Status: Healthy
EVA: N/A
Reports to be filed: Sol Summary Report, Operations Report, EVA Report, Journalist Report, Photo of the Day.
Support Requested: Resupply for plain flour and milk, trash removal
Crew 215 Sol Summary 16Nov2019
[title Sol Summary – November 16th]
[category sol-summary]
Crew 215 Sol Summary Report 16-NOV-2019
Sol: 6
Summary Title: Data Consolidation
Author’s name: Andrew Wheeler
Mission Status: Active
Sol Activity Summary: The previous evening’s emergency drill has provided valuable
insights for the development of procedures applicable to operations in remote and
isolated locations. It was very satisfying to know we could carry out the tasks needed
to successfully complete the recovery. The morning allowed time to respond to questions
sent in from Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. It was a challenge. The Green
Hab continues to thrive with new herb and vegetable shoots appearing daily. After
lunch, Shane, Larissa and Guy returned to the micrometeorite sample grid in the stream
wash at MM5 (518462E 4248949N) where the remaining 36 samples were collected. We have
now sampled 100% of the grid and it has been retrieved. Dinner was a reheated rendition
of a Thai green curry from the previous evening and very welcome.
Look Ahead Plan: Tomorrow sees a day off for all crew with personal and hab chores to
be done. From Monday, Eva activities will wind back as data consolidation intensifies as
we move closer to rotation end.
Anomalies in work: N/A.
Weather: Marginally below freezing overnight, no wind, clear skies.
Crew Physical Status: Healthy
EVA: Micrometeorite sampling EVA. See EVA report
Reports to be file: Sol Summary Report, Operations Report, Science Report, GreenHab
Report, EVA Report, Journalist Report, Daily Photos.
Support Requested: N/A
Sol Summary Report Nov 15th
Crew 215 Sol Summary Report 15-NOV-2019
Sol: 5
Summary Title: Practice Rescue Day
Author’s name: Andrew Wheeler
Mission Status: Active
Sol Activity Summary: Another early departure EVA for this sol had again returning to
the micrometeorite sample grid in the stream wash at MM5 (518462E 4248949N). We
collected another 24 samples before returning to the hab for lunch. 64% of the plots
have now been sampled. With only 36 samples to go, we will have completed the second of
the micrometeorite sampling grids and allow flux rate comparisons to be made between
undisturbed surfaces and accumulation surfaces. The afternoon was spent processing the
micrometeorite grid samples and grinding gypsum for cement experimentation. An
emergency response simulation was carried out at 1700 in which an EVA was carried out
to retrieve an unresponsive Marstronaut. This was successfully carried out by 1725.
Following an extensive debrief, dinner was very welcome as adrenaline levels returned
to normal.
Look Ahead Plan: Planning an EVA to MM5 (518462E 4248949N) to continue collection of
micrometeorite samples (see EVA request), continue preparing gypsum for cement
manufacture and Green Hab operations. Continue monitoring of psycho-social stressors.
Anomalies in work: N/A.
Weather: Marginally below freezing overnight, light winds, partly cloudy.
Crew Physical Status: Healthy
EVA: Micrometeorite sampling EVA. See EVA report
Reports to be filed: Sol Summary Report, Operations Report, Science Report, GreenHab
Report, EVA Request, EVA Report, Journalist Report, Daily Photos.
Support Requested: N/A
Sol Summary – November 13th
Crew 215 Sol Summary Report 13-NOV-2019
Sol: 3
Summary Title: A birthday on Mars.
Author’s name: Andrew Wheeler
Mission Status: Active
Sol Activity Summary: Sol 3 had Jennifer wake to a Martian birthday. After a special pancake breakfast, activity in the GreenHab occupied our attention. During this time we were advised of a possible G1 storm the might affect us on the 16/17th. Though we were being filmed and videoed for publicity, we continued with our data collection and preparations for experiments. Equipment designed to retrieve a disabled marstronaut was laid out in preparation for practice. If approved, we will be working through this scenario at the end of the engineering EVA tomorrow. The afternoon saw us returning to the White Moon location (517724E 4254500N) at the junction of Brahe Hwy and Cow Dung
Road where we retrieved gypsum for further experimentation. Unfortunately, our prior activities had been closely monitored and, on arrival, we found that wheel tracks had cut through our previous sample locations and across our boot prints. On return to the hab, Opportunity rover displayed a warning light and cut power 200m from the hab, meaning that the EVA ended on foot. This evening saw a special dinner of focaccia, soup and birthday cake for Jennifer.
Look Ahead Plan: Planning an EVA to MM5 (518462E 4248949N) to resume collection of micrometeorite samples and a demonstration of returning a disable marstronaut into the hab during the afternoon engineering EVA. See EVA requests. Continue monitoring of psycho-social stressors.
Anomalies in work: Opportunity depowered during EVA return to hab.
Weather: Marginally below freezing overnight, light winds, clear skies.
Crew Physical Status: Healthy
EVA: Gypsum sampling EVA. See EVA report
Reports to be file: Sol Summary Report, Operations Report, Science Report, GreenHab
Report, EVA Request, EVA Report, Journalist Report, Daily Photos.
Support Requested: N/A
Sol Summary – November 12th
Crew 215 Sol Summary Report 12-NOV-2019
Sol: 2
Summary Title: Experimenting gathers pace.
Author’s name: Andrew Wheeler
Mission Status: Active
Sol Activity Summary: Sol 2 saw an intensification of our data collecting. More plants were sown in the Green Hab, acoustic samples were acquired throughout the hab, a site analysis of the hab layout work was undertaken and, in the morning, an EVA to the MM5 site (518462E 4248949N) allowed us to complete deploying the sampling grid and collect the first 10 samples. In the afternoon, the micrometeorite samples were processed and packaged for dispatch whilst the monitoring of psycho-social stressors in isolated environments continues. With the ingredients and equipment on hand we continue to create delicious though unusual cooked meals to keep us happy and healthy.
Look Ahead Plan: Return EVA to White Moon (517724E 4254500N) to collect further gypsum samples. See EVA request. Continue monitoring of psycho-social stressors.
Anomalies in work: N/A
Weather: Marginally below freezing overnight, no breeze, clear skies.
Crew Physical Status: Healthy
EVA: Reconnaissance EVA. See EVA report
Reports to be file: Sol Summary Report, Operations Report, Science Report, GreenHab Report, EVA Request, EVA Report, Journalist Report, Daily Photos.
Support Requested: N/A
Sol Summary – Nov 11th
Crew 215 Sol Summary Report 11-NOV-2019
Sol: 1
Summary Title: Operational
Author’s name: Andrew Wheeler
Mission Status: Active
Sol Activity Summary: First sol on Mars saw us hitting the ground running. After a morning brief, we headed south of the hab in search of locations for setting up a sampling grid for micrometeorites and a source of hydrated minerals. No locations for hydrated minerals were identified, however two sites MM5 (518462E 4248949N) and MM6
(519990E 4248036N) for a sampling grid were identified and a grid established at MM5.
This being Remembrance or Armistice Day, activity was interrupted at 1100 with one minute’s silence for the fallen. Lest We Forget. Back at the Hab, the afternoon was spent preparing for fully deploying the sampling grid, troubleshooting space suits and preliminary monitoring of psycho/social stressors in isolated environments. A curry dinner followed by fruit salad rounded out our day.
Look Ahead Plan: Science EVA to MM5 site to set out of the micrometeorite sampling
grid. Monitoring of psycho/social stressors.
Anomalies in work: N/A
Weather: Marginally below freezing overnight, slight breeze, clear skies.
Crew Physical Status: Healthy
EVA: Reconnaissance EVA. See EVA report
Reports to be filed: Sol Summary Report, Operations Report, Science Report, GreenHab Report, EVA Request, EVA Report, Journalist Report, Daily Photos.
Support Requested: See Operations Report
Sol Summary – Nov 9th
[title Sol Summary – November 9th]
[category sol-summary]
Sol:13
Summary Title: New Crew Arrives
Author’s name: Guy Murphy
Mission Status: Simulation mode ended first light this morning.
Sol Activity Summary: Two of the crew members travelled to Grand Junction this morning to collect the new crew. After stopping at Hanksville for lunch, the four new crew members Steve Whitfield, Jennifer Lane, Shane Usher and Larissa Wilson arrived at the MDRS at around 3pm. The remainder of the afternoon was spent settling them into the campus. In the evening, the crew put on a special dinner for the new crew, Shannon, Atila and David.
Look Ahead Plan: Tomorrow Sandy Dance and Dianne McGrath will depart the station and orientation of the new crew will occur in preparation for commencing the full simulation on Monday morning.
Anomalies in work: –
Weather: Another sunny, clear day on Mars
Crew Physical Status: Crew in excellent health.
EVA: None undertaken
Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Operations Report.
Support Requested: None