Category: Sol Summary

Crew 210 Sol Summary Report 18-APR-2019

Sol: 5

Summary Title: Live from the surface of Mars

Author’s name: Paul Sokoloff

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary: This morning through to early afternoon our crew participated in a Livestream with Discover the Universe, engaging over 150 classrooms live with a presentation and Q and A about Mars, the Mars Society, and MDRS. This presentation will soon be uploaded to YouTube where it will continue on as a legacy outreach component of crew 210

(http://www.discovertheuniverse.ca/workshop/special-webinar-live-from-mars-april2019/).

After a water run into Hanksville, our team continued to process our field samples in the Science Dome and will continue to do so tomorrow. By recording physical characteristics of the soil samples taken from our quadrats, we hope to discover the factors driving plant diversity (or the lack thereof) in the different ecological areas around MDRS.

Look Ahead Plan: We plan on continuing our work in the Science Dome tomorrow and will work on putting together a plan for our multi-year biodiversity inventory.

Anomalies in work: No issues.

Weather: Bright and sunny all day.

Crew Physical Status: Good.

EVA: We presented out Livestream from the area just north of "Zubrin’s Head" on the west side of Cow Dung Read, south of the blind corner on the road.

Reports to be filed: GreenHab Report, Operation Report, Science Report, Daily Photo Report

Support Requested: None.

Crew 210 Sol Summary Report 17-APR-2019

Sol: 5

Summary Title: Plants to the north and plants to the west

Author’s name: Paul Sokoloff

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary: Today we continued our outreach efforts on social media, including answering questions on our Reddit "Ask a Martian Anything", and uploaded a Facebook update video. Four of the crew went to Copernicus Valley to continue transect and quadrat sampling, where we discovered new plant records for the MDRS area, including a stinkweed (Cleomella palmeriana). After a beautiful ride out and back, we returned home to the hab for lunch. In the afternoon we hiked up to the top of Hab Ridge just to the west of MDRS to finish our quadrat sampling. We returned to the hab around 6, and we plan on spending the evening processing samples and pressing plants in the Science Dome.

Look Ahead Plan: Tomorrow AM we will conduct livestream outreach broadcasts (one in French and one in English) in partnership with Discover The Universe and Live It. In the afternoon we will continue to process samples in the science dome, and will meet to discuss next steps for our multi-year program.

Anomalies in work: No problems.

Weather: Bright and Sunny

Crew Physical Status: Good. One crew member slipped into a sinkhole on Sagan Street but caught themselves before falling far, and is OK (one very slight scrape). No problems afterwards

EVA: Four crew members took ATVs to Copernicus Valley in the northwest corner of the MDRS operation area in the morning for quadrat sampling. In the afternoon four crew members hiked up to Hab Ridge for additional quadrat surveys.

Reports to be file: GreenHab Report, Operations Report, Photo Report

Support Requested: None.

Crew 201 Sol Summary Report 16-APR-2019

Sol: 4

Summary Title: Quadrat by quadrat, we’re painting a picture of the “Martian” desert

Author’s name: Paul Sokoloff

Mission Status: Nominal.

Sol Activity Summary: (This morning we hosted a representative from the local Bureau of Land Management Office, therefore our team left for EVA in the early afternoon. We visited two sites east of the hab along the Cactus Road to survey vegetation using quadrats at two pre-determined sites – details for this sampling will be covered in the science report. At these sites we made additional plant and lichen collections for our biodiversity survey project. At the end of the day we proceeded to Hanksville to host an “Ask a Martian Anything” on Reddit.

Look Ahead Plan: Tomorrow we plan on visiting three more sites to finish our quadrat surveys, and to process the plants collected today in the hab science dome.

Anomalies in work: No issues to report.

Weather: Good weather (though slightly cold and overcast) until we returned home from our EVA, and which point rain and hail started over us.

Crew Physical Status: Nominal.

EVA: We drove along Cactus Road east of the station and sampled two sites along the route for our quadrat surveys.

Reports to be file: Operations Report, GreenHab Report, Photo Report, Science Report

Support Requested: None.

Crew 210 Sol Summary Report 15-APR-2019

Sol: 3

Summary Title: Squashing plants and supply runs

Author’s name: Paul Sokoloff

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary: This morning, after the requisite coffee, Crew 210 pressed the plants collected during yesterdays excursion to Salt Creek and the Burpee Quarry. By squishing the plant specimens between cardboard and drying them out, the team is left with a flat plant that, of stored correctly, will last for hundreds of years. These specimens, accompanied by a label indicating the location and date of collection, will serve as the proof that these plants were found growing at a specific place and time, and will make up the backbone of our first planned publication from this program.

Our team devoted the rest of this sol to gathering supplies essential to hab and rover systems. Shannon made a water run to Hanksville, while the rest of 210 went to Bicknel for ATV batteries and supplies to build a quadrat for our ecological work. On our return to MDRS our team was able to repair one more ATV, three of these are now operational.

While completing both our scientific and technical work for the day we were also able to continue our social outreach efforts, including posting video of our plant pressing adventures to Twitter and Facebook, preparing for an “Ask a Martian Anything” on Reddit tomorrow night, and telling our “Martian” tales on social media.

All in all, another beautiful day in that special place that straddles the line between our unique planet and the one we’d next like to visit.

Look Ahead Plan: Now equipped with a square-meter quadrat for ecological sampling, we will plan on spending tomorrow (sol 4), doing transects and quadrats within the MDRS operational area. At these sites we will document the number of species, percent cover, and functional groups of the plant and lichen communities, and record abiotic variables such as soil moisture content, pH, and coarseness. New plant and lichen species found on EVA will also be collected.

A Bureau of Land Management representative is scheduled to visit MDRS tomorrow morning, so we will meet with them before starting our sampling EVA.

Anomalies in work: No.

Weather: Cloudy in the am, clearing by mid-day.

Crew Physical Status: Good.

EVA: no EVAs at MDRS, but Shannon made a water and supply run to Hanksville, and the remainder of the crew made a supply run to Bicknell.

Reports to be filed:

Sol Summary

Operations Report

GreenHab Report

Photo Report

Support Requested: n/a

Sol 2 – Anywhere is walking distance if you’ve got the time

Before departing MDRS for a day of botanical sampling, crew 210 spent the morning working on social media outreach and (importantly), fueling up on coffee. While team members emptied the hab car water tank (filled last night in Hanksville), other crew members continued to repair the hab tunnels. The full team (five humans and two space dogs) left the station at 11:30.

After refueling the hab car in Hanksville, we drove to the Factory Butte access road and sampled plants and lichens at the Valley of the Stars and at Salt Creek. We returned to Cow Dung Road and went to continue our plant sampling outside of the Burpee Dinosaur Quarry

When we went to return to MDRS the hab car did not initially start, so Mike Irvine and myself hiked back to the hab from the quarry to retrieve the crew car. However, just as we returned to the hab we heard from the rest of the team over the radio that they were able to restart the car and they made their way back to MDRS.

Tomorrow the team will travel to Loa in the morning to retrieve parts for the ATVs, and plan on sampling around the hab (time-permitting) in the afternoon.

Sol 1 – Entry, Descent, and Landing

Crew 210 arrived at the Mars Desert Research Station mid-afternoon today. Consisting of biologists and outreach specialists from across North America, crew 210 will spend the next week conducting a biodiversity survey and ecological inventory of the MDRS area outside of sim. Our team includes:

· Dr. Shannon Rupert, director of the Mars Desert Research station, and desert ecologist.

· David Murray, crew 210 co-lead, MDRS GreenHab director, and desert ecologist.

· Paul Sokoloff, crew 2010 co-lead and botanist at the Canadian Museum of Nature.

· Samantha McBeth, polar biologist, expedition guide, and outreach coordinator.

· Mike Irvine, co-founder of Live It and outreach coordinator.

We spent this afternoon addressing logistical needs around the station, including some repairs of the hab tunnels, two water runs into Hanksville, and repairs to ATVs. We will likely need to run additional errands on Monday, so tomorrow we will begin our sampling program by surveying the vegetation and sampling around Salt Creek, on the Factory Butte road.

This spring has been very lush around MDRS and the “Martian” hills are green with peppergrass and evening primrose, so we are eager to begin our science program in the hopes of finding new plant records for MDRS, and to contribute to long-term ecological monitoring at the station.

You can follow our "Martian" adventures on Twitter (@LiveItearth, @Lady_McBeth_, @paul_sokoloff, @pillowdavid17), and by following #MDRS210 and #MarsBio

Until tomorrow,

Paul S, on behalf of crew 210

Crew 208 Sol Summary Report 05-APR-2019

Sol: 8

Summary Title: Preparing for the Trip Home! (out of sim)

Author’s name: Julielynn Wong

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

Crew 208 continued 3D printing in the Hab and completed the data collection for our bike-powered 3D printing project.

XO is packing up most of our equipment tonight in his vehicle for the return trip home.

Look Ahead Plan: Continue data collection for the thoracentesis study this PM. Prepare for post-mission inspection on Sol 9. Plan to depart Hab on Sol 10 at 0800.

Anomalies in work: None

Weather: Sunny with winds

Crew Physical Status: Nominal

EVA: n/a

Reports to be filed: Operations, Greenhab, Journalist

Support Requested: None

Sol: 7

Summary Title: Godspeed, little taters! (in sim)

Author’s name: Julielynn Wong

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

Last PM, Crew 208 used our bike-charged battery to power our 3D printer to use biodegradable, food-safe plastic to make a customized mallet finger splint design that was originally printed on the ISS.

Today, Crew 208 continued 3D printing in the Hab, including making a wonderful 3D printed drone map of MDRS prepared by GHO!

ENG + HSO observed many fossil specimens during their walking EVA this AM.

Crew ENG + HSO each exercised for 1 hour to generate power for our bike-powered 3D printing study.

Crew 208 broke sim this PM to charge our electric vehicle for the return journey home.

Look Ahead Plan: Continue 3D printing in Hab and data collection for the bike-powered and thoracentesis studies this PM.

Anomalies in work: None

Weather: Sunny with winds

Crew Physical Status: Nominal

EVA: #6 – walking; #7 – Opportunity + Curiousity rovers

Reports to be filed: Operations, Greenhab, Journalist, EVA Report

Support Requested: None

Crew 208 Sol Summary Report 03-APR-2019

Sol: 6

Summary Title: Geology Rocks! (in sim)

Author’s name: Julielynn Wong

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

Crew 208 continued 3D printing in the Hab and worked on their research manuscripts.

Useful things to 3D print at MDRS:

Ice cube tray

ENG + HSO + GHO used the Curiosity and Spirit rovers during their EVA to search for fossils.

Crew XO + HSO tried out our Space VR goggles.

Crew XO + GHO each exercised for 1 hour to generate power for our bike-powered 3D printing study.

Look Ahead Plan: Continue 3D printing in Hab and data collection for thoracentesis study in Science Dome. Plan to break sim on Sol 8.

Anomalies in work: None

Weather: Sunny

Crew Physical Status: Nominal

EVA: #5 to Grey Moon and Beige Moon

Reports to be filed: Operations, Greenhab, Journalist, EVA Report, EVA Request

Support Requested: None

Crew 208 Sol Summary Report 02-APR-2019

Sol: 5

Summary Title: A Day of Data Collection (in sim)

Author’s name: Julielynn Wong

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

David delivered additional water and food for Crew 208 this AM. Crew 208 enacted strict water conservation measures. To conserve water, we cooked our lunch in our Insta-Pot.

Crew 208 continued 3D printing in the Hab. One printer is not operational.

We compared the performance of standard and new drone controllers in flight tests during one walking EVA today. We cancelled our second EVA due to high winds.

Crew GHO exercised for 1 hour for our bike study.

Look Ahead Plan: Continue 3D printing in Hab and data collection for thoracentesis study in Science Dome.

Anomalies in work: None

Weather: Cloudy with high winds

Crew Physical Status: Nominal

EVA: #3: Hab; #4: Hab (cancelled)

Reports to be filed: Operations, Greenhab, Journalist, EVA Report, EVA Request

Support Requested: None

Cheers,

Julielynn Wong, MD, MPH, FACPM