Crew 314 EVA Report#1 08Apr025
EVA # 3
Author: Louis Baltus (Astronomer)
Purpose of EVA: The objective of this EVA is for Batoul Tani to collect soil samples from three distinct locations to support her experiment on the effects of Martian regolith on bacterial cultures cultivated in the Science Dome. The goal is to study how different soil types influence the protection of bacterial growth from ultraviolet (UV) radiation, assessing their potential to mitigate UV-induced stress on microbial life.
The first stop will be at Cowboy Corner, where the crew will collect the initial soil sample from the area, which appears to have relatively open terrain. The second stop will be at the intersection of Cow Dung Road and Galileo Road, where the team will collect a second soil sample from this different geological context. Finally, the EVA will conclude at Pooh’s Corner, where the third and final soil sample will be gathered.
The samples from these varied locations will provide a diverse set of regolith types, helping to better understand the role of soil composition in shielding microbial life from harmful radiation and offering insights into potential habitability on Mars.
The crew will stay within a 300-meter radius of the rovers and head northeast towards Tharsis Montes.
Start time: 09:00 AM
End time: 12:00 AM
Narrative: At 09:07, decompression of the airlock began, and by 09:12, the EVA officially commenced. Odile departed solo in Rover Spirit, while Batoul drove Rover Opportunity with Béatrice as passenger. The team followed Cow Dung Road, heading towards Cowboy Corner.
At 09:24, the crew made an unscheduled stop at Marble Ritual due to communication disruptions. The issue appeared temporarily resolved, and the team resumed travel shortly after. At 09:26, they reached Pooh’s Corner, continuing their route without further delay.
By 09:35, the team arrived at coordinates 519000 ; 425180. At this point, communication was again lost, and CapCom encountered difficulties re-establishing contact. With support from the broader Mission Support Team, the issue was diagnosed and resolved. Communications remained stable for the remainder of the EVA.
The crew reached the first sampling site—Cowboy Corner—at 09:50. After parking the rovers, the astronauts proceeded on foot. Sample collection commenced at 09:53, and the first set of samples was secured in the rover by 10:03. The team remained on site to conduct additional exploration.
At 10:20, the EVA crew departed Cowboy Corner and navigated to the intersection of Cow Dung Road and Galileo Road, arriving at 10:33. They conducted the second soil sample collection at this location. By 10:42, the collection was complete, and the crew resumed their journey toward Pooh’s Corner.
At 10:57, the team completed the third and final sample collection at Pooh’s Corner. They then began the return to the habitat.
The rovers arrived at the base at 11:04. The crew initiated the 5-minute repressurization process of the airlock, concluding the EVA.
Destination: Cowboy corner (4253000N, 518500W)
Coordinates (UTM WGS 84): 4253000N, 518500W
First stop : 4253000N, 518500W
Second stop : 4252250N, 519000W
Third stop : 4251250N, 519000W
Participants: Batoul Tani (Journalist), Odile Hilgers (HSO) and Béatrice Hollander (Commander)
Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map: MoonWalk Road, Cow Dung Road 01110
Mode of travel: Driving and walking