Crew 314 Sol Summary Report 10-04-2025
Sol: 4
Summary Title: Mars the Beautiful
Author’s name: Arnaud de Wergifosse (Crew executive officer)
Mission Status: ongoing
Sol Activity Summary: This morning, Béatrice (commandant), Antoine (engineer), and Arnaud (executive officer) headed out on an EVA. After a quick check of Antoine’s equipment, the crew took Galileo Road toward Candor Chasma, a stunning canyon with striking Martian-like scenery. Dressed in their space suits, they may have felt (just for a few moments) like true explorers on Mars. The EVA went smoothly and offered breathtaking views throughout.
Back at the MDRS, the afternoon was more relaxed, focused on scientific work. Arnaud and Béatrice continued data collection for their joint experiment, which tracks heart rate, heart rate variability, sleep quality and duration, as well as responses to a supplementation protocol (either a placebo or a combination of Lactobacillus helveticus and glycine). Each participant also carries out a daily five-minute cardiac coherence session, a breathing technique known to support stress management.
Meanwhile, our journalist, Batoul continued her research by placing bacterial cultures outside to observe how extreme temperature variations affect their growth, an experiment that may offer insights into the effects of climate change. Bérengère, the greenhab officer, spent the whole day sterilizing spores for her experiment.
To wrap up the day, some crew members took time to unwind or get active. Arnaud finished his afternoon with a high-intensity bike session, a powerful way to cap off a day of exploration, research, and physical challenge.
Look Ahead Plan: One EVA is scheduled in the morning to conduct Bérengère’s experiment. Throughout the day, we will continue working on our individual experiments, including a CRM simulation in the afternoon involving the whole team for Odile’s experiment. Béatrice and Arnaud will carry on their research while collecting data with their wearables.
Anomalies in work : None was mentioned today.
Weather: Sunny, without clouds. Warm in the afternoon. Temperatures varying between 40°and 84° throughout the day
Crew Physical Status : Everyone was in good health today, with no issues reported.
EVA: This morning’s EVA crew changed slightly as Batoul Tani (Crew Journalist) had to remain at the Hab due to a scientific emergency related to her experiment.
The team departed on time, with Arnaud as EVA leader. He drove Curiosity with Antoine (Crew Engineer) as passenger, while Béatrice (Crew Commander) drove Opportunity, since Spirit is still out of use due to a battery charging issue. Their first stop was at the intersection of Galileo Road and Cow Dung Road, after taking Moonwalk Road out of the MDRS. Antoine’s equipment was checked and found to be in good condition.
They continued toward Compass Rock, their intended exploration site. A moment of concern arose due to a miscommunication with Mission Support, who briefly thought the team might be stuck. The situation was quickly clarified, allowing the EVA to proceed.
A brief stop along Galileo Road followed, though no one exited the rover. Communication with CapCom was attempted but hampered by a poor signal. At that point, leadership was transferred to Béatrice. The team’s actual position slightly differed from the initial plan, but they reached Compass Rock by 10:15. After reviewing the map and planned route through the canyon (Candor Chasma), they left the rovers at 10:25.
Due to the lack of signal in Candor Chasma, there was no contact with the team while they were walking. Communication was restored at 10:53 as they exited the canyon.
On the return trip, Antoine drove Curiosity solo, and Arnaud drove Opportunity with Béatrice as passenger. The crew returned safely to the Hab and enjoyed spotting a few lizards along the way.
Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist Report, Greenhab Report, Operations Report, Crew Photos, EVA Report, EVA Request
Support Requested: none