Category: Journalist Report

Journalist’s report
Author: Batoul Tani

On the final day of the mission, the crew carried out their activities with a sense of nostalgia, fully aware that the adventure was drawing to a close. The day was largely dedicated to cleaning and carefully organizing the experimental equipment, ensuring everything was properly stored and documented.
Despite the end approaching, creativity and motivation remained high. More video footage was captured—including a humorous “spoiler alert” segment on how to cook with freeze-dried food, highlighting the crew’s adaptability and good spirits even in challenging conditions.
"Final day" certainly did not mean "no more exercise"! The crew pushed through their last workout session, determined to end the mission strong and maintain the physical discipline upheld throughout the rotation.
Bérengère spent a full day in the Science Dome, continuing her dedicated work. She focused on observing spore germination and investigating the presence or absence of mycorrhizal associations between plantain plants and their fungal counterparts—key steps in assessing plant-fungus interactions under simulated Martian conditions.
Unfortunately, due to unfavorable weather conditions, the crew was unable to carry out a final EVA (Extravehicular Activity). While this was a disappointment, safety remained the top priority, and the team took the decision with professionalism.
This final day marked the end of an enriching and intense mission, leaving the crew with lasting memories and valuable data for further analysis.

Journalist report Sol 1

Most of us woke up around 6:45 am to the Terran news that Pope Francis had passed away in the night. Since we hadn’t landed on Mars quite yet, we perused those A1 headlines with ample wifi; meanwhile, our Crew Artist demonstrated the instant technology of Bisquick Shake N’ Pour and gave us a pancake breakfast. We discussed space suit technology at the table—designs from different countries, the difficulty of keeping hands dexterous and safe—before making another small pot of coffee and cleaning up. This Crew Journalist predicts that we’ll lock into the perfect morning coffee amounts and rituals within 1-2 days.

Outside, our Crew Health and Safety Officer and Crew Commander set up their DJI drone and its bright blue landing zone near the Musk Observatory. On EVAs, they’ll need to fly it out to target areas and bring it back steadily, so today’s practice runs were geared at getting comfortable with abandoning sight of the drone itself and depending on the controller’s camera view, and landing the drone as precisely in the middle of the target as possible. The two crewmembers helped each other with this last part as if they were parallel parking (with an extra physical dimension). Soon after, the Crew Journalist set up her blue oyster mushroom growth kit in the GreenHab—please send the spores well and humid wishes.

Our landing, right at 12:00, was so smooth it barely knocked the tuna salad some were eating off the accompanying Saltines. We didn’t wait long to get ready for our first EVA; our Crew Health and Safety Officer, Crew Engineer, and Crew Journalist went first. It was a smooth ride to Marble Ritual after our Commander played Also Sprach Zarathustra through the radio intercom. We returned without incident, and the second EVA, after some difficulties, made another successful round trip. We’re noticing some definite differences between the one- and two-piece suits, and our Crew Health and Safety Officer tried the latter, which worked but felt a little heavy on the back.

We ended the later afternoon with bread from the bread machine and herb-y olive oil for dipping and a 100cameras photography module for our Crew Health and Safety Officer’s project—this sent us around the campus taking perspective-heavy photos. We eventually made a delicious stew that included a good portion of the freeze dried vegetables from the pantry (well-based on the broccoli and cheddar soup mix). Time is already passing quickly.

Journalist report Sol 2

It probably means that the crew is settling in when they listen to Blue Danube and recall scenes from 2001: A Space Odyssey during breakfast. Today was about getting familiar with the rhythms of the day, as well as figuring out how we can break them up. After another quick 100cameras module from our Crew HSO at the table, we confidently scattered throughout the campus to perform different tasks: HSO and Commander worked with their drone again, this time with an SD card (views attached); our Engineer went to town on some broken zip ties in the tunnels; and our Journalist/GreenHab Officer troubleshot a GreenHab temperature issue and then sipped her coffee while staring into space near the beets.

Our Crew Engineer and Crew Artist went on the first EVA after testing out the two-piece suits, which helped with getting into the rovers. Their outing was successful for collecting rock samples for our Engineer’s 3D scanner, and he spent a good amount of time working with the tool in the Science Dome during the afternoon. (He also fixed an upside-down space suit helmet ring.) Our Commander, HSO, and Journalist went on a second EVA, mainly so our Journalist could collect soil samples. The trip wound up toward Candor Chasma; along the way, we stopped so our Commander could help find the road that will take the HSO and Journalist to Somerville Outlook tomorrow. Once at the chasm, we looked for and eventually found a way into it, briefly standing at the tip of the ridge and observing the void, the vegetation, and the piles of Martian animal dung. Speaking of dung: we then went two kilometers north on Cow Dung Road to take a look at some more soil spots and an expansive view of layered hills that our Commander likes. We noticed the faulty parking brake on Perseverance, which was scary for about 1 second before being controlled.

Once back at the Hab, our HSO’s surprise baking project was revealed—banana bread—and we ate it, exhausted and hungry, after her meticulous plating (menu-worthy photo attached). Dinner was yet again prepared by our Crew Artist and finally allowed the uninitiated to see the freeze dried ground beef—more delicious and nuggety than expected. Now we’re expressing our tiredness with early bedtimes, high (loft) and low (bean bag) report writing perches, and zoning out to the generator’s hum.

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.

Journalist report Sol 3

We report to you having just consumed, among the five of us, 7.5 bean and beef burritos with tomatoes and herbs from the GreenHab. Spirits are fairly high in the Hab this evening, with light pouring in from the Commander’s room window and two fun EVAs accomplished. Our daily rhythms seem more customizable, and little problems seemed easy to solve via ingenuity.

Last night some crew members stayed up late working on projects while the GreenHab—erroneously—continuously glowed pink with supplemental light. In the groggy morning, we did another short 100cameras module for our HSO’s project over breakfast—we’re all now fully aware of how much our Engineer likes photos of cats. We then discussed lowering our paper towel consumption and the water we use to wash dishes, and our HSO and Journalist got ready for their EVA out to Somerville Overlook. While some human error on the Journalist’s part led to minor radio issues, the two made it over the bumpy road like Martian monster truckers. The view poured out in front of them when they arrived. HSO took some drone footage, and looking skyward toward the device returning, while wearing a one-piece suit, proved so awkward that she fell over a bush. Immediately after the drone landed back at HSO’s feet, five Martian pronghorn sprinted right past the EVA crew. The rest of the outing included some soil sampling and more drone practice on Cow Dung Road.

The second EVA took our Commander, Artist, and Engineer out to the same location, where our Engineer made some progress on his Starlink project and collected more rocks for 3D scanning. Our Commander made visual contact with one of his favorite geological formations on Mars—the Monolith—and took coordinates so he could get closer with either drone or foot on another EVA during our mission. Wind and dust devils shooed them back to the Hab.

Our Journalist prepared fresh tortillas for those burritos (which used leftover chili made by our Artist). She entered her first flow state on Mars while making them. She is realizing that she needs to do a second mission entirely devoted to Martian culinary arts.

Journalist report Sol 4

We’re celebrating the fact that our HSO won a grant from NASA today, announced just now on a Zoom (her background: the lower deck EVA suit formation). Before that finale, today was a functional, routine day on Mars, with only a few hiccups.

Our Commander made pancakes while our HSO and Artist caught the sunrise near the Observatory. The first EVA crew—HSO and Commander—set out to the Overlook to investigate a spectral, faraway geologic object of great interest to our Commander, the Monolith, which he first saw there years ago and has been trying to gain a greater understanding of ever since. He took a few compass readings this time, but he’ll be going back tomorrow, with the Journalist, to get more information in an attempt to triangulate its exact location on the map. Will it be accessible via rover? Will he be able to get closer to it via other means (drone)? Would touching it turn him into the dog that caught the car? Or would it change his life? The Journalist is very interested in the answer to this question. Their EVA was also dedicated to our HSO taking drone footage, especially new shots including the Commander driving in a rover.

The second EVA took our Engineer and Journalist out to Green Mars View so the Engineer could set up Starlink for his project, completing a Duolingo lesson in Spanish to test the connectivity. They trekked to a nearby ridge to search for, you guessed it, the Monolith, and they may have taken a zoomed in, blurry picture, but the Commander wasn’t sure. (Nothing is as it seems when it comes to this subject.) Otherwise, the two chatted for the Journalist’s magazine piece and took photos for the HSO’s 100cameras project. The two are also sorry that they came back a little late due to an erroneous 24hr time entered on the EVA request.

Meanwhile, our Artist prepared a fairly inspired pasta salad while the Journalist’s disappointingly bland loaf of cheddar and herb bread finished its boogie in the bread oven. After HSO’s NASA triumph—only interrupted by a tiny wifi outage—we gathered to appreciate his work. It’s worth noting, too, that our HSO’s funded project has to do with mushroom growth in space, while the Journalist (so far) can’t manage to grow a blue oyster mushroom in the GreenHab.

Journalist report sol 5

After a few days on Mars, people get comfortable, start to stare into the middle distance, and have interesting discussions over homemade Hab pizza. Today was productive and exploratory for the crew.

Wakeups are a bit more automatic now—this Crew Journalist rose and watched her phone clock turn from 6:59 to 7:00—and this morning flowed fairly seamlessly into our crew meeting, which had to do with lowering our water consumption along with planning EVAs and a few goal happenings for next week. Our Commander and Journalist left on the first EVA toward Green Mars View (which the Journalist realized she and the Engineer had not quite reached last time), where they took in the view at the canyon ridge for a meditative stretch before walking toward a nearby elevated area to look for the Monolith. A few things poked out of the distant rocks, but nothing definitive; on the drive back, the two stared at a column-like rock formation many miles away, waiting for the shifting light to reveal its identity, before deciding they had probably failed. Fortunately, this only makes things more interesting.

The wind picked up in the afternoon, so our Engineer and HSO went on a short, one-hour EVA to release the rocks the Engineer had 3D scan back into the wild, and to test the drone in windy conditions.

Of course, the food: from-scratch corn muffins with cheddar cheese and chives on top, and a couple pizzas using a variety of pantry and GreenHab ingredients (photos attached). The Journalist enjoyed listening to music from the Commander’s digitized ’60s tape collection while kneading the dough. Now that suiting up, report writing, and scaling the Hab’s steep stairs are familiar, we can spend our cognitive energy on other pursuits—our pre-report evening has ended with a varied discussion on bigger questions around Martian exploration.

Journalist report for the 04/07, Sol 1 :
Author – Batoul Tani

Our first Mars day was the day of our first EVA’s. Arnaud, Batoul, and Louis ventured out in the fresh morning air, while Antoine, Béatrice, Bérengère, and Odile explored the surroundings in the afternoon. The goal? Getting comfortable with the communication systems and starting to discover the landscape around us.
Back at the station, nearly everyone began working on their experiments. The scientists spent the first part of the day in the Science Dome! The Health and Safety Officer updated the first aid kit. She also prepared us to her experiment: non
And of course, no Martian day would be complete without our daily sports routine: cycling and strength training.
Lastly, the daily meeting was interesting after the first feedbacks of the simulation.

Report Crew journalist 04/08/2025
Batoul Tani

Today, everyone was busy on Mars!
During sol 2, we carried out two EVAs with different objectives:
Morning: We collected soil samples for our journalist’s Batoul experiment.

Afternoon: The goal was to find a suitable location to place our engineer’s, Antoine, equipment.

We also had our first medical emergency simulation, followed by a valuable learning debrief of our Health and Safety Officer and the impression of the crew.
In the lab, Bérengère put her fungi to the test by exposing them to microgravity and UV light, while Batoul received her bacteria and was able to perform her first inoculations.
Finally, 5 members of the crew did the same strength training. They had the opportunity to have a great time exercising.

Crew 314 Journalist Report 09Apr2025
Author: Batoul Tani

The day began with a breakfast prepared by Odile, the Health & Safety Officer. Several crew members then took part in an extravehicular activity (EVA) during which fossil searches were conducted. But they didn’t find The EVA also provided an opportunity to take photos of the crew and check the condition of the equipment deployed the previous day, which was still in place and fully operational.
Meanwhile, Arnaud was in charge of data collection for the experiment conducted with Béatrice. Antoine also confirmed the proper functioning of the dust collectors installed in the field.
On the scientific side:
Bérengère, the GreenHab Officer, checked the proper functioning of the equipment used to apply environmental stress to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), prepared the culture pots for the long-term experiment starting today, and wrote the GreenHab report.
Batoul, the crew journalist, inoculated Bacillus thuringiensis (with and without soil) on Petri dishes, as well as Escherichia coli in a 96-well plate. Both were exposed to UV-C light as part of her experiment.
Our Executive Officer, Arnaud, also communicated with an academic collaborator to refine the research protocol and obtain essential labels for the continuation of the experiment. He contributed to outreach efforts by sending photos and videos to a sponsor of the project. Antoine, the Crew Engineer, fixed a toilet-related leak and repaired a bicycle handlebar. In the afternoon, several crew members participated in the medical emergency simulation led by Odile.
Physical activity was strongly present today: Louis & Arnaud completed an intense 1h20 bike session, while Béatrice, Odile, Antoine, Batoul and Bérengère also engaged in group sport.
Finally, everyone contributed to writing the daily reports, despite some fatigue felt at the end of the day. Notably, Bérengère completed the scoubidous she had been making for the entire crew.