CREW 315 SOL SUMMARY REPORT 22-04-2025
Sol: 2
Summary Title: Whispers of Stone & Wind—A Day of Discovery on the Red Planet
Author’s Name: Urban Koi, HSO
Mission Status: Nominal. All systems operational.
Sol Activity Summary:
Sol 2 dawned beneath a cloudy Martian sky, the horizon veiled in white and the air tinged with the restless promise of wind. Our crew awoke in good health and high spirits, buoyed by the sense of purpose that comes with exploration on this distant world. Today, our footsteps traced new stories across the red dust, each action a small defiance of the planet’s ancient silence.
The morning’s first EVA saw Crew Engineering and Crew Artist venture out to Robert’s Rock Garden, where the landscape is a gallery of Martian geology. With careful hands and attentive eyes, they gathered stone and rock samples—each a universe of color, texture, and form. These fragments will become the raw material for the Crew Engineer’s 3D scanning project, a bridge between engineering and art. Meanwhile, our Crew Artist’s camera captured the myriad of colors of the Martian environment and the quiet choreography of the EVA, images destined to inspire and inform long after the dust has settled.
As the sun arced higher, a second team—Commander, Crew GreenHab Officer/Journalist, and Health & Safety Officer (HSO)—set out toward the enigmatic reaches of Candor Chasma. Their purpose was twofold: to seek the desiccated soils that whisper of Mars’ vanished waters for the Crew Journalist’s research study, and to scout the land for future creative and scientific endeavors. Along the winding path of Cow Dung Road, they paused at several locations close to the Commander’s heart where he recalled seeing traces of ancient dryness, places within easy reach of the rovers yet untouched by human hand. Our Crew Journalist turned their attention to the mysteries held within desiccated Martian soil. With careful hands and a scientist’s curiosity, they sifted through samples, searching for stories written in dust and mineral. Each grain, stripped of water by the planet’s ancient breath, held secrets of vanished rivers and the silent endurance of stone. Camera in hand, our HSO sought to photograph not only the stark geometry of stone and sky, but also the quiet pulse of our EVA journey—bootprints pressed into ochre dust, helmets reflecting the muted light of a distant sun, the horizon unfurling in endless invitation. Their journey was a testament to curiosity and the enduring drive to see what lies beyond the next rise.
Throughout the day, the weather kept us vigilant—clouds cleared, temperatures hovered around 77ºF, and winds gathered strength, gusting to 18 mph by midafternoon. As Sol 2 draws to a close, in the heart of the habitat, the aroma of freshly baked banana bread mingled with the Martian air, offering a welcome reminder of home. Our Health & Safety Officer (HSO) crafted a loaf of banana bread sweetened with honey and crowned with a generous drizzle, then finished with a touch of crushed almonds for texture and nutty flavor. The bread, made with wholesome ingredients and naturally sweetened, was both a nourishing snack and a morale booster for the crew. As evening settled over the station, the Crew Artist stepped away from sketches and art to prepare dinner: a hearty pot of fresh chili. The wholesome meal, rich with beans, mixed vegetables, and spices, brought warmth to the crew after a day of exploration and troubleshooting. The chili’s robust flavors and communal nature made it the perfect dish to gather around, sharing stories and laughter as the winds howled outside.
The samples and images we bring back are the seeds of science and stories, of questions yet to be answered, and of art yet to be made. Reports will be filed, samples analyzed, and anomalies addressed, but tonight, we rest with the knowledge that we have added another verse to the ongoing poem of human presence on Mars.
EVAs Completed:
EVA 3: 0930-1130
Purpose: Collected 3-5 rock samples for the Crew Engineer’s 3D Scanning project, no larger than 250 mm in any dimension in a variety of shapes, textures, and colors to return to the Hab. Crew Artist took photos of the environment and EVA activities to convert into artwork or other mediums post-EVA.
Destination: Robert’s Rock Garden
Coordinates: 518250E, 4249000N
EVA Participants: Michael Andrews (Crew Engineer), Tim Gagnon (Crew Artist)
EVA 4: 1330-1630
Purpose: Traveled to Candor Chasma area to look for desiccated soil for Crew Journalist’s project, looked for easy entrance into the Chasma without entering and survey for HSO’s 100cameras potential project location. Traveled up Cow Dong Rd about 2 km further where the Commander has seen desiccated soil in two, within 1 km, walking distance locations from where rovers will park next to Cow Dung Rd.
Destination: Candor Chasma Area + Along Cow Dung Rd.
Coordinates: Candor Chasma: 4252000N, 520000W; Galileo Road: 4253500N, 518500W
EVA Participants: David Laude (Commander), Elena Saavedra Buckley (Journalist/GreenHab Officer), Urban Koi (Health & Safety Officer – HSO)
LOOK AHEAD PLAN:
Anomalies in Work: EVASuit #1 (Helmet mounting ring inverted, downside up, unusable). Crew Engineer investigated this issue and successfully restored the suit to full functionality.
Weather: Temperature: 77º, 1500; Sky: Cloudy, 1500; Gust: 18 mph; 1500; Wind: 11 mph, 2100
Crew Physical Status: All in Good Health + Spirits
EVAs to Be Completed:
EVA 5: Travel to Somerville Overlook, then back toward Candor Chasma, then return to Galileo Road, Cow Dung Road, and back to the Hab; possibly stop at the area specific Commander recommended about 2 km further north on Cow Dung Road if there’s time. Along the way: look for soil for Crew Journalist’s project, fly HSO’s drone and take some photographs; potentially do a short 100cameras module; and have some focused one-on-one talk for Journalist’s Harper’s piece.
EVA 6: Travel to Candor Chasma area to look for specimens for Crew Engineer’s project and scenery for Crew Artist followed by continuing on to Somerville Overlook for the same objective.
Reports to Be Filed: Sol Summary, Journalist Report, Crew Photos, Greenhab Report, Operations Report, EVA reports, EVA Request(s)
Support Requested: None at this time.