Posted on

Sol Summary – December 9th

Crew 200 Sol Summary Report 9-Dec-2018

Sol: 7

Summary Title: Reduced crew EVA planning, replenishing supplies, and fixing tunnels

Author’s name: Lindsay Rutter

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary: This morning we rejuvenated a bit. We ate breakfast two hours past our usual meal time. We had a long and engaging conversation with Shannon on a variety of topics, including how to conduct EVAs during this reduced-crew mission. As today was our transition day between our nominal and extended missions, we returned to Hanskville to replenish gas and water and to throw out the non-burnable trash. After that, we fixed some of the tunnels connecting to the RAM and GreenHab to make sure they are extra safe. We can’t wait to to return to Mars this evening for our extended mission!

Look Ahead Plan: We plan to safely conduct our first reduced-crew EVA tomorrow and begin to map out the radio communication zones around the habitat. We will also keep track of what methods work best for thoroughly cleaning the ScienceDome floor. We brainstormed numerous project ideas today and will begin to focus on the most practical and meaningful ones starting tomorrow.

Anomalies in work: No anomalies.

Weather: Clear, sunny, and cool

Crew Physical Status: Nominal

EVA: N/A

Reports to be filed: N/A

Support Requested: None

Posted on

Astronomy Report – December 9th

Crew Astronomer: Andrew Foster

MDRS ROBOTIC OBSERVATORY

Robotic Telescope Requested: None.

Requested objects – None.

Objects Viewed: None

Images attached:

1. Dark sky from MDRS: Sirius, Orion, Taurus and winter Milky Way. Canon D60, 40x15s images + 4 darks @ ISO5000, images processed w/ DeepSkyStacker and PS.

2. Solar feature, likely faint sunspot AR2729, captured with Lunt 100mm solar scope 08Dec2018, w/ Imaging Source DBK colour camera @15fps, best 1200 of 1400 frames, processed w/ Registax 6 & PS.

Problems Encountered:

N/A

MUSK OBSERVATORY

Solar Features Observed (08DEC2018): Solar filament, faint Sunspot AR2729. Note – found observation of solar features challenging, likely due to inexperience with coarse / fine tuning of solar etalon.

Notes

Crew Astronomer departed station 12-08-2018, (now post-processing images acquired during mission).

End report.

Posted on

Sol Summary – December 8th

Crew 200 Sol Summary Report 08-DEC-2018

Sol: 6

Summary Title: First solar observation, mission extended for reduced
crew members

Author’s name: Lindsay Rutter

Mission Status: Mission is completed. A proposal was made to extend
the mission with a reduced crew number of three people who will work
toward a relatively new set of objectives. Proposal was approved.

Sol Activity Summary: We woke up today to the smell of lobster
biscuits and herb garlic butter. Several crew members had been
salivating over that box of lobster biscuits since Sol 1, so it was a
celebratory meal that marked the end of our nominal mission. The skies
were clear today and our crew astronomer was kind enough to show
several crew members how to use the solar observatory. After cleaning
and bag packing, we drove to Hanksville to share lunch together and
part ways. Four crew members continued to Grand Junction, while three
crew members returned to the habitat. It was hard to see the crew
split into half, but the three remaining crew members are determined
to use what they have learned from the full team to make the extended
mission worthwhile at both a personal level and team level.

Look Ahead Plan: The reduced crew members will plan new and modified
research projects and brainstorm possible reduced crew EVAs.

Anomalies in work: N/A

Weather: Warmer than recently, snow melting, clear and sunny skies.

Crew Physical Status: No crew members reported physical problems today.

EVA: N/A

Reports to be file: N/A

Support Requested: N/A

Posted on

Operations Report – December 8th

Crew 200 Operations Report 08-Dec-2018

SOL: 7

Name of person filing report: Antoine Bocquier

Non-nominal systems: generator autostart, generator start, solar panels power generation or conversion
Notes on non-nominal systems:
1) During the day the solar panels almost generated no power (<1kW for 2, 0kW for the 3rd) although it was a very sunny day. This led to a drop of SOC to 66% when we came back from town (at 17:20).
2) At 17:20, we started the generator which worked on the generator side, however after pushing the button to connect the generator to the network, the system shuts down after a few minutes (it was in under frequency). We tried several times and it did the same. Shannon came to help and after repeating the operation several times, it finished to work.

Generator (hours run): From 4:00 pm last night to 7:45 am. On tonight at 6:15 pm.

Solar— SOC 65%
Diesel Reading – 25 %
Propane Reading – 38 %
Ethanol Free Gasoline – N/A gallons

Water (auxillary tank) – 0 gallons
Water (static tank) – 300 gallons
Auxillary to Static tank transfer – no
Gallons transferred: 0
Water in GreenHab – not noted gallons, low.
Water (loft) – Static to Loft Pump used – yes
Water Meter: 6

Toilet tank emptied: yes

Deimos rover used: no, still not functional
Hours:
Beginning charge:
Ending charge: 73%
Currently charging: no

Sojourner rover used: No
Hours:
Beginning charge:
Ending charge: 100%
Currently charging: yes

Spirit rover used: no
Hours:
Beginning charge:
Ending charge: 100%
Currently charging: yes

Opportunity rover used: no
Hours:
Beginning charge:
Ending charge: 100%
Currently charging: yes

Curiosity rover used: no
Hours:
Beginning charge:
Ending charge: 100%
Currently charging: yes

Notes on rovers: Rovers were not used this week
# Hours the ATVs were Used today: 0
Notes on ATVs: ATVs were taken out of active service and are now parked away from the station

HabCar used and why, where? Yes, to go to Hanksville at 1:00 pm as a part of the crew is leaving today, we ate there and came back at 5:10
CrewCar used and why, where? Yes, by Shannon, to go to Hanksville at 1:00 pm as a part of the crew is leaving today, we ate there and she came back at 5:50

General notes and comments: the nominal mission is completed (1 week sim), we stopped the sim at 0:00am and cleaned up the hab. While 4 members of the crew left (with their own car), an extension of the mission was proposed and approved by Shannon, with a 3 member crew. We will start again the sim tomorrow evening.
Generator start was problematic.

Summary of internet: Nothing to report.

Summary of suits and radios: Nothing to report.

Summary of Hab operations: Cleaning before half of the crew left

Summary of GreenHab operations: Regular activities, temperature was rised to 50 F.

Summary of ScienceDome operations: ScienceDome was not sufficiently cleaned, we will take care of this week

Summary of RAM operations: it is not leaking anymore from the roof (the snow melted)

Summary of any observatory issues: Musk Solar observatory – Nominal. Robotic Observatory – Nominal.

Summary of health and safety issues: Nothing to report

Questions, concerns and requests to Mission Support: Nothing to report

Posted on

Greenhab Report – December 8th

Crew 200 Greenhab Report 08-DEC-2018

Greenhab Officer:
Makiah Eustice

Environmental Control:
Heating
40% Shade Cloth on

Average Temperatures:
Low: 19 C
High: 52 C

Hours of Supplemental Light:
5

Daily Water Usage of Crops:
9 gallons

Water in Blue Tank (lbs):
27%

Times of Watering for Crops:
1100, 1830

Changes to crops:
NONE

Narrative:
I realized that I am really underwatering my plants. The new crew of 3
spent time watering tonight. We thinned the carrots as well. Shannon
also increased the average temperature. We thinned the carrots as
well.We will be refilling the water tomorrow.

Harvest:
NONE

Support/Supplies Needed:
NONE

Posted on

Commander Report – December 7th

Crew 200

Commander Report

07-DEC-2018

Another mission is over. Three crew members will carry on an extended mission for a few days.

Short missions have different challenges compared to longer missions. Here, adaption to this environment is predominant to the effects induced by isolation, as more time is needed to manifest such effects in the crew dynamics. However, you can still get science out of it! An example. The leadership approach is completely different.

My crew has interestingly connected their projects where energy is the main topic. During this week, we have investigated energy in engineering, science, agriculture and arts!

Then, active conversations about the future of space exploration started when answering to kid’s questions about space. From one of this questions, it appears that a few kids think that only men can be trained as astronauts. I do not blame them, I guess it depends on the family.

I recognize the importance of out-reach and STEAM in education. However, parents or relatives should also be educated to recognize the current progress of science, otherwise all the investments in STEAM might not have a long-term impact in our society.

An example. Female astronauts exist. Female Commanders too! A good change can be produced investing in programs that teach to men how to work with women and vice-versa. Reminding the importance of women in our society is a bit limited, as it does not directly imply that a good interaction between employees or collaborators can be established.

Wishing the best to all, especially new mothers.
Ad Astra!

Commander IC

Posted on

Journalist report – December 7th

7-Dec-2018

Journalist Report:

It has brought me so much joy to be a part of this successful mission.
I will miss the uplifting team dynamics of this international crew.
There were countless times when I was reminded that the power of our
diverse team was more than the sum of its individual members.
Embarking on EVAs always comes with a risk and team members
continuously helped one other climb geographical features and cross
slippery areas. Even though each of us entered this mission with our
own research projects, neat interdisciplinary projects were formed
during the mission. A study investigating the strength of concrete
built from Earth sand versus Martian soil and a study examining the
heat transfer of the habitat using an infrared camera morphed into a
proposal to study the heat transfer properties of concrete built from
Earth sand versus Martian soil. Sharing our ideas and resources has
made this mission a success.

Today, we continued answering questions from school children from
Qatar. It was endearing to be asked by an eager student if there is a
school on Mars. While some questions were light-hearted, others were
more philosophical and we returned to discussions on the ethics of
terraforming another planet and how or whether resource management and
human rights could be improved today on Earth and one day on other
planets. As we prepare to conclude our mission, I cannot help but feel
inspired and impressed by the example of international collaboration
and volunteer efforts here at MDRS. Indeed, the MDRS represents
successful teamwork at a larger level than Crew 200. Thank you for
welcoming the seven of us crew members to be a part of this mission.

Lindsay Rutter

Posted on

Astronomy report – December 7th

Crew Astronomer: Andrew Foster

MDRS ROBOTIC OBSERVATORY

Robotic Telescope Requested: MDRS-WF (05 DEC), hope to add further WF observations if conditions clear later this evening.

Requested objects – None.

Objects Viewed: None

Image attached: None.

Problems Encountered:

Poor weather conditions (Cloudy conditions continue today).

MUSK OBSERVATORY

Solar Features Observed: None.

Notes

Both observatories are clear of snow this evening.

Attached 3 x photos: Astronomy Laptop and Astronomy box (end of mission), plus photo of packaging for backup UPS battery left in Science Dome (empty packaging only, UPS battery is inside Dome).

Crew Astronomer departing station 12-08-2018

End report.