Crew Photos – October 22nd
Comms Window Closed 031Dec2025
Mission Support is signing off. Best wishes for your New Year celebrations!
Report status for Sol 3:
- Sol Summary: Received
- Operations Report: Received
- Greenhab Report: Received
- Journalist Report: Received
- Astronomy Report (if applicable): NA
- EVA Report (if applicable): Received
- EVA Request(s) (if applicable): Received
- Daily photos: Received
Brett Bennett
Onsite Operations Manager
Mars Desert Research Station
Brett Bennett
Onsite Operations Manager
Mars Desert Research Station
Supplemental Operations Report – June 1st
Date: 6/1/2025
Name of person filing report: Sergii Iakymov
Reason for Report: Routine
Non-Nominal Systems: Crew car. Power system battery, inverters, generator. Robotic observatory. HAB outer shell. WIFI. Director’s trailer water heater.
Power system:
Solar: The battery bank does not hold charge when sun is down and low on the horizon. Inverter Slave 1 and 2 went offline and do not restart, which limits us to 4kW when on solar.
Main generator has been monitored for oil leaks; minor leaks observed, Moreover, generator is consuming oil because of worn piston rings. Adding oil every day is necessary. Generator is limited to 8kW, see previous reports for details. No further leaks have been observed.
1) Oil, oil filter, air filter changed on 05/29/2025. Gen hours – 9806.7
2) Current hours – 9861.4
Solar power wall turned off for summer due to its state, all the breakers turned off. Generator refilled with oil and locked for summer.
Propane Readings:
Station Tank: 80%
Director Tank: 65%
Intern Tank: 86%
Generator Tank: 33%
All propane valves closed for summer.
Water:
Hab Static Tank – 180 gallons
GreenHab – 0 gallons
Outpost tank – 200 gallons
Rovers:
Sojourner rover used: Yes
Hours: 216.0
Beginning Charge: 100 %
Ending Charge: 53 %
Currently Charging: Yes (Rock Shop)
Notes on Rovers: Spirit charger replaced. All rovers refilled and moved to Rock Shop for summer.
Spirit: Hours: 274.3
Beginning Charge: 100 %
Ending Charge: 74 %
Curiosity: Hours: 319.1
Beginning Charge: 100 %
Ending Charge: 73 %
Opportunity: Hours: 222.4
Beginning Charge: 100 %
Ending Charge: 83 %
Perseverance: Hours: 357.7
Beginning Charge: 100 %
Ending Charge: 77 %
Cars:
Hab Car used and why, where: To Hanksville for supplies. Parked at the HAB for summer. Mileage 175827.9.
Crew Car used and why, where: To Hanksville for supplies. Parked at the outpost for summer. Mileage 232925.
General notes and comments: Crew car driver’s side front ball joint is bad. Low oil pressure is most likely caused by a bad sensor (it does not change due to RPM or temperature like it should)."
Summary of Internet: Orbi routers need a factory reset and to be configured from scratch.
EVA suits and radios:
Suits: All suits picked up by NorthCal chapter.
Comms: All batteries moved into Rock Shop for summer.
T-Echo EVA-link: Nominal
Campus wide inspection, if action taken, what and why: Campus prepared for summer. All tarps removed: 5 good tarps placed in RAM, others disposed. Need to purchase 12 more tarps for the next season.
Summary of Hab Operations:
Hab prepared for summer.
Upper deck: Fridge emptied and turned off; all expired and open food disposed; all good food moved into rock shop; all unnecessary devices unplugged; all temperature sensitive equipment moved into rock shop; rat traps are set up; trash emptied.
Lower deck: outside outlets turned off; toilet emptied; heater turned off; main water solenoid valves turned off; UV filter turned off; all temperature sensitive equipment moved into rock shop; all unnecessary devices unplugged; trash emptied; rat traps are set up; doors locked.
Summary of GreenHab Operations: Prepared for summer.
Summary of SciDome Operations: Prepared for summer: sink cleaned and emptied; trash emptied; power turned off completely due to its state; A/C turned off; all unnecessary devices unplugged; window covered; door locked.
Summary of Observatories Operations: Robotic observatory offline and its breaker turned off.
Summary of RAM Operations: Prepared for summer: all temperature sensitive equipment removed; all ladders placed inside; emergency generator prepared for summer; outside outlets turned off; all unnecessary devices unplugged; trash emptied; doors locked.
Summary of Outpost Operations: Prepared for summer. Shed: all extension cords unplugged; trash removed; door locked. Outpost: gates are closed. Trailers: toiled emptied; windows covered; fridge turned off; water and heater turned off; temperature sensitive equipment removed; all food removed; doors and storage locked.
Summary of Health and Safety Issues: Nominal.
Supplemental Operations Report – May 17th
Date: 5/17/2025
Name of person filing report: Ben Stanley
Reason for Report: Routine
Non-Nominal Systems: Crew car. Power system battery, inverters, generator. Robotic observatory. HAB outer shell. Spirit. Guest Wifi not tested, unsure if problem persists
Power system:
Solar: The battery bank does not hold charge when sun is down and low on the horizon. Inverter Slave 1 and 2 went offline and do not restart, which limits us to 4kW when on solar.
Main generator has been monitored for oil leaks; minor leaks observed, Moreover, generator is consuming oil because of worn piston rings. Adding oil every day is necessary. Generator is limited to 8kW, see previous reports for details. No further leaks have been observed.
1) Oil, oil filter, air filter changed on 05/13/2025.
2) Current hours – 9665.8
Propane Readings:
Station Tank: 77%
Director Tank: 69%
Intern Tank: 84%
Generator Tank: 75%
Water:
Hab Static Tank – 110 gallons
GreenHab – 0 gallons
Outpost tank – 420 gallons
Rovers:
Sojourner rover used: no
Hours: 214.1
Beginning Charge: 100 %
Ending Charge: 100 %
Currently Charging: No
Notes on Rovers: Spirit is not charging
Battery maintenance performed on spirit and opportunity.
Partially deflated tire (passenger rear) observed on Opportunity. Refilled and pressure seems to be holding. Will continue to monitor for slow leak.
Cars:
Hab Car used and why, where: To Hanksville for supplies.
Crew Car used and why, where: Exploring
General notes and comments: Crew car driver’s side front ball joint is bad. Low oil pressure is most likely caused by a bad sensor (it does not change due to RPM or temperature like it should).
Summary of Internet: Guest WiFi not tested. Problem likely persists.
EVA suits and radios:
Suits: Nominal.
Comms: Headset #3 push-to-talk button nonfunctional.
T-Echo EVA-link: Nominal
Campus wide inspection, if action taken, what and why: Nominal
Summary of Hab Operations: Small cracks in the wall of the Hab in the loft area are allowing cold air intrusion. Static tank and pipe heaters unplugged. Thermostat setup for 60F due to warm weather.
Summary of GreenHab Operations: Nominal – closed down for season
Summary of SciDome Operations: Dual split is being turned on during day time for cooling.
Summary of Observatories Operations: Robotic observatory offline.
Summary of RAM Operations: Nominal
Summary of Outpost Operations: Glass on director’s trailer door replaced.
Summary of Health and Safety Issues: Nominal
Supplemental Operations Report -May 10th
"Email to:
MDRS Crew Reports <mdrs-reports.gp>,
zafa277fusi,
MDRS Management Team <MDRS-Management-Team>"
Date: 5/10/2025
Name of person filing report: David Steinhour
Reason for Report: Routine
Non-Nominal Systems: Crew car. Power system battery, inverters, generator. Robotic observatory. HAB outer shell. Spirit. Guest Wifi not turning on.
Power system: "Solar: The battery bank does not hold charge when sun is down and low on the horizon. Inverter Slave 1 and 2 went offline and do not restart, which limits us to 4kW when on solar.
Main generator has been monitored for oil leaks; minor leaks observed, Moreover, generator is consuming oil because of worn piston rings. Adding oil every day is necessary. Generator is limited to 8kW, see previous reports for details. No further leaks have been observed.
1) Oil, oil filter changed on 05/02/2025. Hours: 9484.3
2) Current hours – 9566.9"
Propane Readings: "Refilled 4/24
Station Tank: 74%
Director Tank: 74%
Intern Tank: 85%
Generator Tank: 40%"
Water: "Hab Static Tank – 165 gallons
GreenHab – 0 gallons
Outpost tank – 470 gallons"
Rovers: "Sojourner rover used: yes
Hours: 214.1
Beginning Charge: 100 %
Ending Charge: 100 %
Currently Charging: No
Notes on Rovers: Spirit is not charging"
Cars: "Hab Car used and why, where: To Hanksville for supplies.
Crew Car used and why, where: Transporting crew to Grand Junction.
General notes and comments: Crew car driver’s side front ball joint is bad. Low oil pressure is most likely caused by a bad sensor (it does not change due to RPM or temperature like it should)."
Summary of Internet: Guest WiFi is not turning on despite all attempts, and most likely needs a firmware reset.
EVA suits and radios: "Suits: Nominal.
Comms: Headset #3 push-to-talk button nonfunctional.
T-Echo EVA-link: Nominal"
Campus wide inspection, if action taken, what and why: Nominal
Summary of Hab Operations: Small cracks in the wall of the Hab in the loft area are allowing cold air intrusion. Static tank and pipe heaters unplugged. Thermostat setup for 60F due to warm weather.
Summary of GreenHab Operations: Greenhab plants removed for summer temps. New potting soil resupplied.
Summary of SciDome Operations: Dual split is being turned on during day time for cooling.
Summary of Observatories Operations: Robotic observatory offline.
Summary of RAM Operations: Nominal
Summary of Outpost Operations: Director’s trailer door glass shattered, new one ordered.
Summary of Health and Safety Issues: Nominal
Sol Summary – April 30th
CREW 315 SOL SUMMARY REPORT 30-04-2025
Sol: 10
Summary Title: Settling Into the Martian Embrace
Author’s Name: Urban Koi, HSO
Mission Status: Nominal. All systems operational.
Sol Activity Summary:
Sol 10 dawned upon Crew Phoenix with a familiar cadence, the hum of routine settling into our bones as surely as the red dust settles into the seams of our boots. Each morning, we rise in the same order (Commander, Crew Artist, HSO, Journalist/GreenHab Officer, Crew Engineer), a silent choreography that speaks of adaptation.
Crew Engineer and HSO carried on with their first EVA of the Martian morning, embarking on a journey that took the crew to the storied Overlook. The rover bounced vigorously beneath the HSO’s hands as they traversed the red wilderness, the terrain unfolding in waves of ochre and umber. The drive was one of the longer ones of our mission, a journey both physical and contemplative. With each mile, the world outside the viewport grew more profound, the silence of the desert vast and unbroken, save for the wind’s low song. At the Overlook, they paused—engine off, hearts open. Before them, mountains rose in solemn majesty, their ancient bones etched by eons of wind and memory. Crew Engineer set up his 3D scanning nook and got right to work on scanning more mysterious Martian rocks. HSO flew her drone and captured the mountains’ grandeur in a series of videos, each frame a testament to the beauty and solitude that define this place.
Next, they proceeded through Candor Chasma, a landscape alive with memory, the terrain etched by the ancient passage of water. Here, geology is a form of storytelling, and each stone whispers of epochs past. As they hiked, the wind carried the scent of desert plants and the promise of new questions. Each step was a reminder that Mars, even in simulation, is a teacher-demanding, humbling, and endlessly inspiring.
The land is dynamic, shifting, never quite the same from one sol to the next—a mirror to our own evolving sense of purpose. Upon returning, the Crew Engineer, HSO, and Crew Artist embarked on a half-EVA, seeking to bridge worlds through art. With drone photography and brush, they reimagined Alan Bean’s vision, placing our humble habitat into the lineage of explorers who have gazed at distant horizons and dared to dream.
Upon return to the habitat, the aroma of experimental strawberry bread, baked by the HSO, drifted through the habitat, another gentle reminder that comfort can be crafted even in the most alien landscapes. In the GreenHab, the Journalist/GreenHab Officer harvested a bounty of lush microgreens and herbs—150 grams of living green, a vivid defiance against the dry desert outside. Each sprout, each leaf, is a small act of hope, a promise that life, in all its tenacity, can flourish even here.
Crew Engineer (our very efficient Swiss Army knife) finally tamed the recalcitrant rear door—a mundane triumph, yet one that brings to light the truth of exploration: Progress is measured not just in grand discoveries, but in the patient solving of small, persistent problems. Dinner was a celebration of collaboration: chicken salad made by the Crew Artist, wrapped in tortillas lovingly made by the Crew Journalist, vegetarian pasta and chili for the HSO—meals that nourished both body and spirit of the crew.
As Sol 10 draws to a close, we gather in the habitat, our bonds deepened by shared challenge and wonder. Here, at MDRS, we are more than a crew—we are witnesses to the magic of space exploration, and each day is a stanza in the epic of our becoming. All hearts are full. The horizon calls, and we answer—settling into the Martian embrace one sol at a time.
LOOK AHEAD PLAN:
Anomalies in Work: None at this time.
Weather: Temperature: 71º, 0930; Sky: Cloudy, 0930; Gust: 0 mph; 0930; Wind: 5 mph, 0930
Crew Physical Status: All in Good Health + Spirits
EVAs to Be Completed:
EVA 20: 0900-1300
Purpose: To return rock samples collected at Robert’s Rock Garden for the 3D scanning project and further explore Candor Chasma based on results from EVA 19. At Candor Chasma, we shall search for more rock samples and perform more drone flight operations.
EVA Participants: Michael Andrews (Engineer), Urban Koi (HSO), Elena Saavedra-Buckley (Crew Journalist/GreenHab Officer)
Reports to Be Filed: Sol Summary, Journalist Report, Crew Photos, Greenhab Report, Operations Report, EVA reports, EVA Request(s)
Support Requested: Please kindly ensure that Starlink issues are resolved before 2:30 PM (Mountain Time) for important crew responsibilities tomorrow. Please and thank you!
Crew Photos – April 30th
GreenHab Report – April 30th
Crew 315 GreenHab Report 30-04-2025
GreenHab Officer: Elena Saavedra Buckley
Environmental control (fan & heater): On
Average temperatures (last 24h): 84
Maximum temperature (last 24h): 96
Minimum temperature (last 24h): 72
Hours of supplemental light: Disabled
Daily water usage for crops: 7 gal
Daily water usage for research and/or other purposes: Misting mushrooms
Water in Blue Tank (200 gallon capacity): 94.3 gallons
Time(s) of watering for crops: 9 am / 7:15 pm
Changes to crops: None
Narrative: I’m watering less considering the teardown, which we’ll get most of the way through tomorrow. We did a larger harvest so that we’d have necessary herb-age for the next two days.
Harvest: 150g of microgreens, herbs, and tomatoes
Support/supplies needed: Just wanted to make sure that the sun shades referenced in the GreenHab teardown report are the same ones folded up in the cabinet; perhaps they weren’t set up to begin with. If that’s referencing something else, just let us know!
Journalist Report – May 2nd
Journalist report sol 12
It was a strange, celebratory, public-facing final day of sim for our crew, which included more drones, more talk of scuba diving, more heat spikes in the GreenHab, more rocks, more 3D scans, another EVA, and now reports—but also on-camera interviews, larger drones, microphones threaded through flight suits, onion rings, helmet-less walks outside, a commencement ceremony with diplomas, and the “fry sauce” of Greater Hanksville.
Today again started with coffee, but it quickly changed when Lucas Milliken, a producer for CNBC, came to the Hab and went through the airlock. For the vast majority of the day, from about 9:15 to 5:00 pm, he filmed interviews and B roll throughout the campus—our Commander was the main narrator, but everyone spoke about their projects and their interest in Mars. We’re excited to see the final cut sometime in the next month or so. While he was speaking with different crewmembers, others tore down the sweltering GreenHab, cleaned the Hab, and touched up their appearances (Journalist included) before their soundbites. Our Commander, HSO, and Engineer took Lucas on an EVA out to Compass Rock, where the drone and 3D scanner described in the past eleven Journalist reports had their ~120 minutes of fame. We broke sim after EVA in order to take group photos—the sound of the non-helmeted air hit us first while standing on the Hab’s outer deck. Mission Support and Lucas both joined us for dinner at Duke’s in Hanksville. Cold and carbonated beverages seemed far more special than they usually do, conversation sped in different directions, and our Commander put everyone’s drinks on his tab. Now, after we clack on our laptops for the last time after having briefly seen the world we’re going back to, what else is there to say? Mars has been a fascinating home for the fortnight, both an isolated and deeply social stage for our crew. We’ll be thinking back and forward to it in infinite ways.
EVA Report – May 2nd
Crew 315 EVA Report 2-05-2025
EVA # 21
Author: David Laude
Purpose of EVA: Take CNBC videographer to Galileo Rd for drone flight demo to Compass Rock followed by visit to Compass rock for 3D rock scan and Starlink transmission of data collected.
Start time: 1432
End time: 16:20
Narrative: We arrived location and set up 3D scanner and drone. Rock scanned and data sent to had via Starlink. Drone flew around Compass Rock and returned. Lucas videoed.
Destination: Compass Rock area
Coordinates: Easting 520050, Northing 4252000
Participants: Laude (Commander), Koi (HSO), Andrews (Engineer), Lucus Milliken (CNBC Videographer)
Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map: Exit MDRS onto Cow Dung Road, then take a left to head North. Turn onto Galileo Rd to Compass Rock.
Mode of travel: Curiosity and Perseverance
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