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Journalist Report – April 18th

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.

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EVA Report – April 23rd

Crew 315 EVA Report 23-04-2025

EVA # 5

Author: Elena Saavedra Buckley

Purpose of EVA: To collect soil samples for Journalist’s project and to take drone footage from the HSO’s drone.

Start time: 0935

End time: 1215

Narrative:

Crew HSO and Crew Journalist used Curiosity and Opportunity to get to Somerville Overlook, which they reached after finding the route around Compass Rock. Despite some radio issues, they made it easily enough and practiced with the drone and took soil samples. They went under 2 km north on Cow Dung road in order to walk around and perform some more drone flights, and then they returned to the Hab. They plugged in Curiosity.

Destination: Somerville Overlook

Coordinates: 4253000N, 522150W

Participants: Urban Koi (HSO), Elena Saavedra Buckley (Journalist/GreenHab Officer)

Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map: Moonwalk Road, Cow Dung Road, Galileo Road

Mode of travel: Two rovers the whole way, with slight foot exploration at Somerville Overlook and north on Cow Dung before turning back.

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Crew Photos – April 22nd

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Journalist Report – April 22nd

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.

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Journalist Report – April 22nd

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.

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Operations Report – April 22nd

Crew 315 Operations Report 22-04-2025

SOL: 2

Name of person filing report: Michael Andrews

Non-nominal systems: Main Generator, Spacesuit Charger #7, Perseverance Rover

Notes on non-nominal systems:

1. (Unresolved from yesterday) Oil leak on the main generator, which requires us to use the backup generator at night. This is being worked solely by Mission Support and does not require crew engineering.

2. (Unresolved from yesterday) It was noted that Suit #7 wasn’t charging, but further diagnosis from the Commander has isolated the issue to the #7 charger. Troubleshooting this will take place over the next day.

3. The Perseverance Rover has two minor issues: the parking brake does not fully engage and have much effect, and the ignition block rotates fully if you turn the key too hard by accident.

ROVERS

Spirit rover used: No

Hours: Not Used

Beginning charge: Not Used

Ending charge: Not Used

Currently charging: Not Used

Opportunity rover used:

Hours: 219.0 hours (1.1 hours used)

Beginning charge: 100%

Ending charge: 64%

Currently charging: No

Curiosity rover used: Yes

Hours: 311.8 hours (0.5 hours used)

Beginning charge: 100%

Ending charge: 100%

Currently charging: Yes

Perseverance rover used: Yes

Hours: 323.8 hours (1.4 hours used)

Beginning charge: 100%

Ending charge: 89%

Currently charging: No

General notes on rovers: None

Summary of Hab operations: Two EVAs were performed today, the first to collect rock samples and the second to take desiccated soil samples. A 100cameras module on camera features was performed with the crew after breakfast. A major repair of the tunnels’ zip ties was also performed (details under RAM notes).

Water Use

Time of measurements (collect data for the same time window): 1930
1) Per formula (see notes): 29.41
2) Smart Home Dashboard (see notes): 25.25

Water (static tank, remaining gallons): 432.37

Static tank pipe heater: Off

Static tank heater: Off

Toilet tank emptied: No

Summary of internet: Used to complete reports, learn languages, share team photos via Google drive, researching projects

Summary of suits and radios:

· EVA 1: Suits 2, 3 and Radios 2, 3

· EVA 2: Suits 7, 8, 9 and Radios 1, 3, 5

Summary of GreenHab operations: Plants were watered, some basil leaves were harvested for meals. Since the fan doesn’t reliably work due to the main generator being inoperable, the temperature increased quicker than normal and needed to be regulated via opening the GreenHab door.

WATER USE: 10.4 gallons

Heater (On or Off): On

Supplemental light: 1900 – 2200

Harvest (name, weight in grams): Handful of basil leaves (unable to weigh due to faulty scale)

Summary of ScienceDome operations: Began the 3D scanning project with the rock samples recovered on EVA #3. A Rubik’s cube was first used as a simple model to scan, which didn’t work initially. I performed some more research using some downloaded manuals and videos to better understand the software before starting with a first rock sample. The results were much better, yielding a 3D model of a sample after about 2 hours of work. The model was lacking color, but more work will be done to add color to the texture and reduce scanning time. A power study for the EVA Connectivity kit was also performed.

Dual split (Heat or AC, On or Off): Off

Summary of RAM operations: (Tools used, work done) put notes here

· Zip Ties: Snips and 44 zip ties were taken from the hab, all to repair the tunnels’ tarps. I’m uncertain if the large amount of zip ties that needed to be replaced was because of the last several days of no engineering support between crew 314 and 315, or if certain zip ties were intentionally not replaced. Approximately half of those zip ties were applied on grommets that didn’t have any nearby zip ties on the ground.

· GreenHab Scale: I hoped that the scale needed a simple AAA battery swap, but it proved to be more complicated. The screen does not turn on even with fresh batteries from the exercise bike. I need to investigate the interior components for any obvious issues.

· Spacesuit #1 Repair: After personally attempting to wear two-piece suit #1, Commander Laude discovered that the neck ring had been installed upside down. I used a screwdriver and pliers to uninstall, flip, and reinstall the neck ring for future use.

· Other hardware used: measuring tape for water usage measurements, and an extension cord and 5 specimen jars were taken from the RAM for ScienceDome projects to be returned at end of mission.

Summary of any observatory issues: None

Summary of health and safety issues: None

Questions, concerns and requests to Mission Support:

· Is there a way to download the data from the Home Assistant program? That will allow the GreenHab specialist and myself to more accurately record the average temperature and water usage, respectively. Attempting to download the data on the graph view takes us to a new Safari page that cannot be viewed.

· Is there any issue with using a scale in the ScienceDome to weigh harvested plants in the GreenHab? Or must they remain in their respective areas?

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Sol Summary – April 24th

CREW 315 SOL SUMMARY REPORT 24-04-2025

Sol: 4

Summary Title: A Glorius Day on this Red Rock in the Earth’s Sky

Author’s Name: David Laude, Commander

Mission Status: Nominal. All systems operational.

Sol Activity Summary:

Sol 4 got an early start when the Commander woke up early and prepped pan cakes and started the coffee maker for the for 7AM crew awakening. Pan cakes were specially tailored for each crew member by size and choice of embedded fruit. This commander wants to serve the crew in multiple ways and appeasing the stomach by any crew member’s culinary ability is welcome by all. Our HSO and Artist appeared before sunrise to catch the Martian sunrise on camera. Once gathered around the table, the same enthusiasm for the day ahead was apparent in all the crew. It’s unusual here on Mars to have clouds, but the last few days had them, sometimes in abundance. We await a clear night to view the heavens from this part of the solar system from a few portals to the sky.

The morning’s first EVA was the longest thus far out to the Overlook (formally Moon Overlook) and to the Sea of Shells area. The main goal was to sight what the Commander call the Monolith. The Monolith was "discovered" by him while here on Mars with Crew 228 (the first after the pandemic’s peak). The Monolith appeared in the distance from the Overlook. It appears even other worldly by Mar’s standards and is nothing like anything else yet seen here. Imagine a tall obelisk shape (with no text), all black with fins off of each side not too unlike a rocket ship standing vertical with its fins starting from one third up and flaring at the bottom. Who would not be curious? Some think it is made by intelligent creatures, while most are bewildered. Today the first set of compass headings was taken from the Overlook (335 degrees magnetic, 347 true north). An old school compass was unfolded from its rest and aimed at the Monolith, helping the process of unlocking the Monolith’s enigmatic nature. But, like the Monolith in Tyco Crater back in "2001" there may be no answer and perhaps they are of the same origin! If only one could get close enough to touch it. On a near future EVA one or two more azimuth readings will be taken from widely separated locations and then the Monolith’s location can be triangulated on a map of the local area. From that location it will be determined if a crew can drive a rover close enough to deploy a few people walking and carrying a drone to an area close enough for the drone to circumnavigate and video the Monolith. Along the way the Sea of Shells was located and some shells collected for our Engineer’s 3D scanning project. Our HSO brought her drone and acquired a video of the Commander walking to a rim at the Overlook and later made a stunning video of the EVA crew driving back to the Hab while the Commander drove at a moderate pace. Once we were stopped, she brought the drone to in front of us and landed in a glorious emerging cloud of Martian red dust. When back home on good ole Earth she will edit the video for her YouTube channel.

Our Artist took the day off from his everyday of tedious EVAs since Sol 1 and manned the Hab radio as Capcom while also performing his "chef of the day" cooking, preparing lunch from left overs and readying dinner for after the last EVA team’s return.

Crew Engineer Andrews and Crew Journalist Saavedra-Buckley departed from the station via Opportunity Rover at 1415 and headed north along Cow Dung Road. The terrain became more remote as they approached Green Mars View. Andrews found the highest local point and set up Starlink at 1451 while Saavedra-Buckley searched for desiccated soil samples. The area was rather green and as a result, had no cracked and dried soil. Starlink connected after 2 minutes and began consuming power. After a quick speed test, the pair walked to the nearby overlook to take photos for the 100cameras project and to see if the Monolith is visible from here for Commander Laude’s project . It is. Throughout the walk, Saavedra-Buckley interviewed Andrews for her article.

After an hour of power consumption, the Starlink terminal had consumed 35% of the battery pack and the crew packed up and powered up opportunity at 1400. On the way back, the error of the incorrect EVA request end time was realized when communicating with CapComm, and the crew ensured no stops or delays were made in order to return to the Hab as soon as possible. The team returned and entered the airlock at 1425, ending the EVA at 1430.
HSO, Koi was awarded a NASA grant today after being interviewed on line! Her proposal is a research project to explore the myriad uses of fungi (mush rooms) for use in space and on other worlds.

LOOK AHEAD PLAN:

EVA in morning to Lith Canyon, Green Overlook area to get compass bearing reading on the Monolith for Commander and look for desiccated soils for Journalist. Request to be filed this evening.

Short EVA (windy) to acquire more rock samples for Engineers 3D scanner. Request to be filed this evening.

To windy for Commander’s drone operational testing in EVA suit.

Artist will contribute to daily Hab activities.

More delicious food making.

Anomalies in Work: None

Weather: Temperature: 72º, 1500; Sky: Partly Cloudy, 1500; Gust: 22 mph; 1500; Wind: 11 mph; 1500

Crew Physical Status: All in Good Health + Spirits

EVAs Completed:

EVA 7: 0930-1300

Purpose: Travel to Overlook and then Sea of Shells area to sight a particular and unusual object, seen there in the past by the commander, for a future remote object observation close up view via some walking and then using drone per his project goals. This EVA will be to get a compass heading along with one from another location (future EVA) to triangulate its position to find on a map and determine feasibility of flying drone to it for close up photos. We will likely need to hike up small hills to see it. We may use a drone for areal views of it from a distance with high res cameras. We may also pick an additional object of interest in case the first is too far.

Destination: Overlook and then Sea of Shells area.

Coordinates (use UTM WSG 84) :

  • First stop : Overlook, at the intersection of Brahe Hwy 1572 and Copernic US Hwy 1575 (4254500N, 516000W).
  • Second Stop: Sea of Shells (4255500N, 516500W)

EVA Participants : David Laude (Commander), Urban Koi (HSO)

EVA 8: 1400-1600

Purpose: We plan to accomplish three project objectives on this EVA.

Destination: Green Mars View

· The Crew Journalist will take several more desiccated soil samples in the area for her experiment.

· The Crew Engineer will set up the EVA Connectivity Kit and drain it fully during the mission, testing power draw and speed testing throughout.

· The Crew Journalist will also interview the Crew Engineer for her article during the EVA.

Coordinates (use UTM WSG 84): Easting 527500, Northing 4256750

EVA Participants: Michael Andrews (Crew Engineer and EVA Lead) and Elena Saavedra-Buckley (Crew Journalist)

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.

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Sol Summary – April 23rd

Crew 315 Sol Summary Report 23-04-2025

Sol: 3

Summary Title: Mars by the Numbers

Author’s name: Michael Andrews

Mission Status: Nominal

Sol Activity Summary:

Greetings from Mars! This is our third full day on the planet. As the crew engineer, I am normally not as skilled as my fellow crew members on written composition, so perhaps I can fill the day’s report with more quantitative information.

First off, the habitat. We are spending 12 sols in a habitat that is 8 meters in diameter. Coincidentally, this is 1 meter narrower than Starship’s fuselage. It’s nice to think that the first colonizers on Mars may live in quarters very similar to this one!

I was the last crew member to awaken today – which is normal as I was staying up late working on my 3D scanning project. However, with a Martian sol being 39 minutes longer than an Earth day, I would have actually woken up a few minutes early if it were the real thing! Breakfast was quick and informal… the crew tends to cook their more ambitious meals in the afternoon. We had a quick 100cameras module led by HSO Koi, which gave us the action to take photo later today on EVA that captured certain emotions. I will keep you posted as I learn what these emotions are and how they can be measured.

The morning EVA team traveled to Somerville Overlook to perform the first drone operations to view areas beyond what our rovers and feet could navigate. The afternoon EVA team returned to Somerville Overlook to collect rock samples and test Starlink connectivity. It was the first day where we really got to leave the area surrounding the station and feel far away from any other humans. It also gave me great data on rover usage and battery life performance, which is helping us determine which vehicles to use on future EVAs and which can be prioritized for maintenance by Mission Support.

On the afternoon EVA, we got our first glimpse of what Commander Laude calls the Monolith. It is a narrow and tall rock structure far from any of our approved routes. He has seen this Monolith from a distance on previous MDRS missions, and he intends to take various compass heading missions on upcoming EVAs to determine its true location so it can be visited with a drone. I have to admit: I felt the emotion of excitement when I saw this Monolith, our Commander’s white whale.

Meals were exceptionally good today. The team, with much encouragement and affirmation, helped me cook some basic white bread in our breadmaker to make PB&J sandwiches. And then Crew Journalist Saavedra-Buckley put me to shame with some homemade tortillas and burritos. We also kept hydrated, consuming about 40 gallons of water today between drinking, showers, and washing dishes. With a 500 gallon tank, we are on track to have this resource lasting the entire mission.

The comms window opened this evening at 7 PM, and the team dedicated the rest of the evening to daily reports and sharing photos amongst the crew. It’s interesting to know that the distance between Mars and Earth is only about 4 light minutes currently, so Earth seems much closer to us than normal (its distance ranges from 3 to 22 light minutes). However, as I drift off to sleep, it’s comforting to know Crew 315 is in a cozy habitat on another world, ready for Sol 4 after a few hours (and 39 minutes!) of sleep.

Look Ahead Plan: Tomorrow we will begin to perform more ambitious EVAs, traveling to Green Mars View and Sea of Shells. The Crew Artist will focus on sketches instead of participating in an EVA, and the HSO has a meeting with NASA in the afternoon for her projects outside of the analog. The soil desiccant and 3D scanning projects’ work will continue in the science dome, when those project owners are not out on EVA.

Anomalies in work: Rovers Perseverance and Curiosity needs work – detailed in the Operations report.

Weather: Weather has been similar all days so far, and today was no exception. Highs up to 80 degrees F, with lows in the 40s F. The morning is clear with low winds, and the afternoons become partly cloudy with winds around 15 mph and gusting up to 25 mph. The nights have been partly cloudy as well. This requires us to perform drone-based EVAs in the morning and other EVAs in the afternoon.

Crew Physical Status: All Crew Members Healthy

EVA:

· EVA 7: Commander Laude and HSO Koi will travel to Sea of Shells via Perseverance Rover to perform some drone tests and potentially take a measurement to determine the Monolith’s location.

· EVA 8: Engineer Andrews and Journalist Saavedra-Buckley will travel to Green Mars View via Opportunity Rover to test Starlink and take more soil samples.

Reports to be filed: 2 EVA Requests, 2 EVA Reports, GreenHab Report, Operations Report, Journalist Report, Crew Photos

Support Requested: We would like to have an earlier comms window tomorrow to support HSO Koi’s virtual meeting with NASA. Requesting to turn on station Starlink from 1500 to 2200 and keep the comms window at 1900 to 2200.

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Operations Report – April 23rd

Crew 315 Operations Report 23-04-2025

SOL: 3

Name of person filing report: Michael Andrews

Non-nominal systems: Charger #7, Space Suit #1, #3, Perseverance Rover, Curiosity Rover

Notes on non-nominal systems:

1. (Unresolved from yesterday) It was noted that Suit #7 wasn’t charging, but further diagnosis from the Commander has isolated the issue to the #7 charger. Troubleshooting this will take place over the next day.

2. Space Suit #3’s neck ring cord broke and needs to be reinstalled. Its cord was cannibalized from Suit #1 to support an immediate EVA and will be fixed this evening. Suit #3’s oxygen cord was also cross-threaded upon install and is stuck. Some quick work with some elbow grease and adjustable pliers will fix it this evening.

3. (Unresolved from yesterday) The Perseverance Rover has two minor issues: the parking brake does not fully engage and have much effect, and the ignition block rotates fully if you turn the key too hard by accident.

4. The Curiosity Rover has a lagging battery indicator. On EVAs, its battery life percentage will drop by only a few points and register much later on the following EVA. This is believed to be fixed by watering the battery with DI water, an action for Mission Support.

ROVERS

Spirit rover used: No

Hours: N/A

Beginning charge: N/A

Ending charge: N/A

Currently charging: No

Opportunity rover used: Yes

Hours: 325.1 hours (1.3 hours used)

Beginning charge: 100%

Ending charge: 71%

Currently charging: No

Curiosity rover used: Yes

Hours: 313.5 hours (1.7 hours used)

Beginning charge: 100%

Ending charge: 67%

Currently charging: No

Perseverance rover used: Yes

Hours:

Beginning charge:

Ending charge:

Currently charging: No

General notes on rovers: I performed a power study on all three rovers based on 6 EVAs of data. Perseverance has the best battery life, and Curiosity performs equally with Opportunity. However, until Curiosity’s battery is watered, its battery level does not update real-time.

Summary of Hab operations: The crew performed another 100cameras module after breakfast, cooked bread for lunch and burritos for dinner, and performed two EVAs.

Water Use

Time of measurements: 1930
1) Per formula: 41.66 gallons
2) Smart Home Dashboard: 46.5 gallons

Water (static tank, remaining gallons): 390.71 gallons

Static tank pipe heater: Off

Static tank heater: Off

Toilet tank emptied: Yes

Summary of internet: Used to complete reports, learn languages, share team photos via Google drive, researching projects

Summary of suits and radios:

· EVA 5: Suits 8,9 and Radios 3, 4

· EVA 6: Suits 2, 7, 10 and Radios 1, 2, 5

Summary of GreenHab operations: Watered all crops, cultivated fungal project, and opened door when temperatures exceeded 94 F.

WATER USE: 11.0 gallons

Heater: Yes

Supplemental light: 0000 to 0900 and then 1900 to 2200 (light was on all night due to script needing to be rebooted)

Harvest (name, weight in grams): tomatoes (66g), chives (8g), parsley (5g)

Summary of ScienceDome operations: It was a late night last night to map the second rock sample with the 3D scanner, but it proved to be successful and very informative. This morning a third sample was scanned in about an hour… half the time of previous samples! The Crew Journalist also began her desiccated soil experiment in the ScienceDome this afternoon. The fan that cools the power converter was turned on to level 3.

Dual split (Heat or AC, On or Off): Off

Summary of RAM operations:

· Space Suit Repairs: As mentioned above, neck ring cords were swapped on suits 3 and 1 to facilitate EVA 6.

· Crew Artist’s Crazy Straw: Gagnon requested the ability to drink from his water bottle on EVAs without taking off his helmet. I fashioned a clean rubber hose from the science lab into a drinking apparatus that tapes to the suit helmet. With a little bit of adjustment, it worked well on EVA 6. Once the mission is over, it will be cleaned and returned to the dome.

· Tunnel Zip Ties: Only one zip tie was missing after yesterday’s evening gusts! A more thorough check will be performed in the AM. One zip tie was taken for install in next daylight.

· GreenHab Scale: a scale was repurposed from the ScienceDome to measure GreenHab harvests. Still troubleshooting the original scale to see if it can be fixed in the RAM.

· Other Tools Uses: Additional jars (2) were taken for rock specimens. A tool bag, carabiner, and rope tape measurer were taken for the Crew Journalist’s project, and a Rock Hammer was taken for rock specimens. All will be kept in the hab for EVA use until mission duration.

Summary of any observatory issues: None

Summary of health and safety issues: None

Questions, concerns and requests to Mission Support: Great work on fixing the main generator Mission Support! This will lower noise levels and allow us to monitor station health via Home Assistant more consistently.