Operations Report – April 11th

Crew 314 Operations Report 11-04-2025

SOL: 5

Name of person filing report: Antoine Dubois (Crew Engineer)

Non-nominal systems :

The CO detector is working.

Notes on non-nominal systems :

CO detector: The battery has been replaced.

ROVERS

Spirit rover used:

Hours: (before EVA) /

Beginning charge: (Before EVA) /

Ending charge: (On return from EVA, before recharging) /

Currently charging: yes

Opportunity rover used:

Hours: 215.7 (0.9 hours used)

Beginning charge: 100%

Ending charge: 47%

Currently charging: no

Curiosity rover used:

Hours: 307.6 (0.7 hours used)

Beginning charge: 100%

Ending charge: 67%

Currently charging: no

Perseverance rover used:

Hours: /

Beginning charge: /

Ending charge: /

Currently charging: yes

General notes on rovers:

Spirit can be used but for short EVAs, perseverance is usable as well.

We are concerned about Opportunity’s battery ? Because it’s the second time that the battery percentage goes down really fast.

Summary of Hab operations: Today in the Habitat, we focused on cooking, socializing, completing our individual reports, and working on our respective experiments. Additionally, we did a bit of physical exercise to stay in shape. We also conducted the third medical emergency simulation (Odile’s experiment), and it went really well. Finally, we held our usual team meeting to discuss progress and upcoming tasks.

Water Use (please use both methods to estimate water usage)

Time of measurements (collect data for the same time window): 7 p.m.
1) Per formula (see notes): 17.78 gallons
2) Smart Home Dashboard (see notes): 19.90 gallons

Water (static tank, remaining gallons): 357.21 gallons (per formula) & 372.98 gallons (Smart Home Dashboard)

Static tank pipe heater (on or off): off

Static tank heater (on or off) : off

Toilet tank emptied (no or yes): yes

Summary of internet: used for music playing, mails, research for experiments, learning languages.

Summary of suits and radios:

suits : 10, 9, 8, 7

radios : 4, 1, 6, 7, 3, 2

Summary of GreenHab operations: put notes here:

I watered all the plants with water.

The door of the GreenHab was left open for 4 hours 25 minutes (1.50 pm to 6.15 pm) to reduce the temperature inside (maximum of 100.9 °F).

I sowed the seeds of sprouts of China Rose radish, Kale, Arugula and cress seeds in 3 small rectangular black pots.

I took 3 garden labels for the new cultures.

WATER USE: 11 gallons

Heater (On or Off): Heater on (setup temperature = 72°F)

Supplemental light (hours of operation): 7-10 pm

Harvest (name, weight in grams): 1 g of basilic

Summary of ScienceDome operations: put notes here

Check the condition of plantain seedlings and watering

Check Petri dishes for arbuscular fungi spore germination

Milieu preparation

Exposure to UV-C of Bacillus thuregiensis

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

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

At 9:15 a.m., the Crew Engineer took 2 zip ties and a dark ribbon to repair equipment in the field if needed. However, no repair was necessary, and all materials were returned to their place.

Batoul picked up the package that was delivered for her experiment.

Summary of any observatory issues: Nothing regarding the hardware. For the software part, there is still work to be done in order to master every aspect of it (please refer to the dedicated report for further details).

Summary of health and safety issues: Everyone was in good health today, with no issues reported. There were no safety concerns to note.

Questions, concerns and requests to Mission Support: None for the moment.

EVA Report – April 11th

Crew 314 EVA Report 11-04-2025

EVA # 7

Author: Béatrice Hollander (Crew Commander)

Purpose of EVA: The crew will travel between two locations to collect different soil samples for the GreenHab. Bérengère will examine the soil composition, specifically looking for the presence of fungi. On the way back, they’ll stop at the intersection of Galileo Road and Cow Dung Road to check Antoine’s equipment.

Start time: 9h26

End time: 11h47

Narrative:

The crew left the Hab on time this morning. After a 5-minute decompression, the EVA team exited the airlock at 9:31. Batoul was at the wheel of Curiosity, with Odile as her passenger, while Bérengère drove Opportunity, accompanied by Antoine.

At 9:42, they drove past Cowboy Corner, continuing smoothly toward their first destination. Just before reaching the Special Region, around 9:55, they made a stop to confirm their path and attempted to contact CapCom for guidance. However, the signal was very poor at that point, and they were unable to establish communication.

Fortunately, upon arrival at the Special Region around 10:05, the signal improved. There, the team took the opportunity to collect two soil samples for Bérengère’s experiment.

At 10:47, the team decided to head back to the rovers to proceed to their next waypoint, staying mindful of the time and battery levels. By 10:59, they reached the intersection of Brahe and Cow Dung Road. With Opportunity’s battery at 58%, they made the decision to skip the Overlook and continue directly to the intersection of Cow Dung and Galileo Road.

On the way, the team made a quick stop to retrieve a piece of the camera that had fallen from one of the rovers. They then continued to their planned stop at the intersection of Galileo Road and Cow Dung Road to inspect Antoine’s equipment, which had been left there for his experiment, arriving at 11:15. With the extra time saved from skipping the Overlook point, they chose to deploy the drone for additional data collection.

By 11:34, they began their return journey to the Hab, with a switch in drivers: Odile took over Curiosity with Batoul as passenger, while Antoine drove Opportunity, this time with Bérengère as his passenger.

The rovers were parked back at the MDRS at 11:41, and the team collected their data. Decompression began at 11:42 and was completed by 11:47, successfully concluding the EVA.

Destination: The furthest point of the EVA is the Special Region, near Gateway Lith, then they will head west to make a second major stop at Overlook.

Coordinates (use UTM WGS 84):

First stop : Special region (518500N, 4256000W)

Second stop : Overlook, at the intersection of Brahe Hwy 1572 and Copernic US Hwy 1575 (516000N, 4254500W).

Third stop : Intersection Galileo Road and Cow Dung Road (4252250N, 519000W)

Participants: Batoul Tani (Journalist), Antoine Dubois (Engineer), Bérengère Bastogne (Greenhab), Odile Hilgers (HSO)

Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map: The crew went on Moonwalk Road, then continued on Cow Dung Road 0110. From there, they took the road leading to the Special Region. After reaching this point, they took Brahe Highway 1572 toward Overlook. Finally, they returned to the MDRS via Cow Dung Road 0110.

Mode of travel: Driving and walking

GreenHab Report – April 11th

Crew 314 GreenHab Report 11-04-2025
GreenHab Officer: Bérengère Bastogne
Environmental control (fan & heater):
Heater on (setup temperature = 72 °F)
Fan on (to keep the temperature below 94 °F)
Average temperatures (last 24h): 87.3 °F
Maximum temperature (last 24h): 100.9 °F
Minimum temperature (last 24h): 73.8 °F
Hours of supplemental light: 7-10 pm
Daily water usage for crops: 10.5 gallons
Daily water usage for research and/or other purposes: 0.5 gallon
Water in Blue Tank (200 gallon capacity): 153.6 gallons
Time(s) of watering for crops: 20 min
Changes to crops: Germination of sprouts of China Rose radish, Kale, Arugula and cress seeds in 3 small rectangular black pots
Narrative: I watered all the plants with water.
The door of the GreenHab was left open for 4 hours 25 minutes (1.50 pm to 6.15 pm) to reduce the temperature inside (maximum of 100.9 °F).
I sowed the seeds of sprouts of China Rose radish, Kale, Arugula and cress seeds in 3 small rectangular black pots.
I took 3 garden labels for the new cultures.
Harvest: (include which crop and mass in grams) 1 g of basilic
Support/supplies needed: None

Astronomy Report – April 11th

[category 

astronomy-report]

Crew 314 Astronomy Report 11Apr2025

Name: Louis Baltus

Crew: 314

Date: 11Apr2025

MDRS ROBOTIC OBSERVATORY

Objects to be Imaged this Evening: /

Images submitted with this report: /

Problems Encountered: /

MUSK OBSERVATORY

Solar Features Observed: Full solar disk observed and imaged today as first observation. During the next day, I’ll try to zoom in on the details I will see.

Images submitted with this report (2) :The one of the chromosphere and the one with the prominences (one of them is jpg)

Problems Encountered:

-At first, I couldn’t see anything so I sent an email to Peter Detterline. Thanks to his advice I succeeded and observed the sun for the first time. What a wonderful feeling !

-Couldn’t superpose the two images properly, the one with the prominences keep coming as first layer. As it’s the first time for me using all that software, I’ll keep trying and learning and see if I manage to get the expected result.

Sol Summary – April 10th

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

Operations Report – April 10th

Crew 314 Operations Report 10Apr2025

SOL: 4

Name of person filing report: Antoine (Crew Engineer)

Non-nominal systems :

The toilet repair performed yesterday is still holding and functioning properly.

The CO detector in the science dome is not working.

Notes on non-nominal systems : /

ROVERS

Spirit rover used: /

Hours: /

Beginning charge: /

Ending charge: /

Currently charging: /

Opportunity rover used:

Hours: 214.8 (0.4 used)

Beginning charge: 100%

Ending charge: 65%

Currently charging: No

Curiosity rover used:

Hours: 306.9 (0,4 used)

Beginning charge: 100%

Ending charge: 73%

Currently charging: No

Perseverance rover used:

Hours: /

Beginning charge: /

Ending charge: /

Currently charging: /

General notes on rovers: Spirit is still out of use due to a battery issue.

Summary of Hab operations : Today in the Habitat, we focused on cooking, socializing, completing our individual reports, and working on our respective experiments. Additionally, we did a bit of physical exercise to stay in shape. Finally, we held our usual team meeting to discuss progress and upcoming tasks.

Water Use (please use both methods to estimate water usage)

Time of measurements (collect data for the same time window): 7 p.m.
1) Per formula (see notes): 15.55 gallons
2) Smart Home Dashboard (see notes): 15.08 gallons

Water (static tank, remaining gallons): 374.99 gallons (per formula) & 392.88 gallons (Smart Home Dashboard)

Static tank pipe heater (on or off): on

Static tank heater (on or off) : on

Toilet tank emptied (no or yes): no

Summary of internet: used for music playing, mails, research for experiments, learning languages.

Summary of suits and radios (EVA #6) :

Suits : 2, 4 and 5.

Radio : 3, 4 and 5.

Summary of GreenHab operations: put notes here: I watered all the plants with water.

The door of the GreenHab was left open for 3 hours 35 minutes (2.10 pm to 5.45 pm) to reduce the temperature inside (maximum of 98.8 °F)

WATER USE: 9 gallons

Heater (On or Off): Heater on (setup temperature = 72°F)

Supplemental light (hours of operation): 7-10 pm

Harvest (name, weight in grams): 4 g of parsley and 6 g of basilic

Summary of ScienceDome operations: put notes here

Inoculation of Esherichia coli on 96 well plate + UV-C exposure

Inoculation of Bacillus thuringiensis on petri dishes + soil+ UV-C exposure

Isolation of arbuscular fungi spores (after exposure to stresses)

Disinfection of arbuscular fungi spores

Spores on a membrane to test the germination after exposure to stresses

Plantain seedlings (use for experiment) watering

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

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

At 9:20 a.m., the Crew Engineer took 2 zip ties and a dark ribbon to repair equipment in the field if needed. However, no repair was necessary, and all materials were returned to their place.

Around noon, the HSO Officer went to the RAM to take 2 inches of blue tape to label a container and indicate its intended contents.

Around 4:00 p.m., the Crew Engineer took 6 small zip ties, 3 large ones, 50 inches of wire, and 20 inches of grey vinyl duct tape to reattach tarps and seal holes.
Summary of any observatory issues: None for the moment.

Summary of health and safety issues: Everyone was in good health today, with no issues reported. There were no safety concerns to note.

Questions, concerns and requests to Mission Support: None for the moment.

EVA Report – April 10th

Crew 314 EVA Report 10-04-2025

EVA #6

Author : Odile Hilgers

Purpose of EVA: The primary objective of tomorrow’s EVA is to conduct essential equipment checks at the intersection of Galileo Road and Cow Dung Road. Subsequently, we will discover some new area, known as Candor Chasma. We will park our rovers at Compass Rock, and walk from this point. The goal of the walk is to enter the canyon and advance approximately one mile beyond the rover parking point to conduct further observation and terrain assessment.

Start time: 9:32 am

End time : 11:12 am

Narrative :

Minor change in this morning’s EVA crew: Batoul Tani had a scientific emergency related to her own experiment and couldn’t participate in the EVA.

The crew left the Hab on time this morning. The team was split in two, with Arnaud acting as EVA leader for the day. He took Curiosity, while Béatrice and Antoine took Opportunity (Spirit is still out of use due to a battery charging issue, which explains the change from yesterday’s EVA plan). Béatrice was driving.

They made a first stop at the intersection of Galileo Road and Cow Dung Road, after taking Moonwalk Road out of the MDRS. They checked Antoine’s equipment—no issues to report.

They continued to Compass Rock, where they planned to leave their rovers for the day. At one point, there was a brief concern due to a miscommunication: Mission Support thought the EVA team might be stuck somewhere. Fortunately, the situation was quickly clarified, and the mission could proceed.

The team made a brief stop along Galileo Road without leaving the rover. CapCom and the EVA leader attempted to communicate, but the signal was very poor. A change in leadership was made, with Béatrice becoming the new EVA leader.

Their actual position differed from the one initially planned, so they proceeded a bit further and finally reached Compass Rock at 10:15. There, they discussed the map and the route they would follow through the canyon, and left the rover at 10:25.

Due to very poor signal in Candor Chasma, we had no contact with the EVA team while they were walking.

They reestablished communication with CapCom at 10:53, informing us they were exiting the canyon.

On the way back, Antoine drove Curiosity solo, while Arnaud drove Opportunity with Béatrice as passenger. They returned safely to the Hab and even had the chance to admire some lizards along the way.

Destination: Candor Chasma (and with the rovers Compass Rock)

Coordinates (use UTM WGS 84):

Intersection Galileo Road and Cow Dung Road : 4252250N, 519000W.

Candor Chasma, parking the rovers at Compass Rock : 4252000N, 520000W.

Participants: Béatrice Hollander (commander), Antoine Dubois (Engineer), Arnaud de Wergifosse (Executive Officer).

Road(s) and routes per MDRS Map: MoonWalk Road, Cow Dung Road 01110, then turning on Galileo Road 11004.

Mode of travel : Driving and walking

Sol Summary – April 13th

Crew 314 Sol Summary Report 04-13-2025

Sol : 7

Summary Title : Whispers of a forgotten ocean.

Author’s name: Arnaud de Wergifosse (Crew Executive Officer)

Mission Status: ongoing

Sol Activity Summary: Sol after sol, the crew continues to push the boundaries of analog Martian exploration with resilience, focus, and scientific curiosity. The morning began with final EVA preparations and a weather check under clear skies and mild winds.

At 09:37, four crew members exited the airlock after standard decompression procedures to carry out a field mission in the Sea of Shells region. Among them was GreenHab Officer Bérengère Bastogne, who aimed to collect two soil samples from this geologically rich area for her fungi-based research. The site, thought to have once been covered by an ancient Martian ocean, offered both symbolic and scientific value. She was joined by Crew Engineer Antoine, tasked with inspecting his deployed equipment after it had been exposed to intense wind conditions the day prior.The EVA team was split between two rovers: Curiosity (Arnaud and Bérengère) and Opportunity (Antoine and Béatrice). Shortly after departure, Mission Support issued a reminder to reduce rover speed in order to conserve battery for the full route.

After checking in at several intersections, the team reached the vicinity of their target area around 10:20. While on site, they conducted geological sampling, explored the surrounding terrain, and deployed the drone to capture aerial imagery. Due to the local topography, radio contact with the Hab was lost after 09:57, though GPS tracking remained active throughout the EVA. The team began their return journey at 11:20 and successfully re-established communication at 11:40 upon reaching the Cow Dung Road and Galileo Road intersection. There, they performed a brief inspection of Antoine’s equipment and shared a status update with CapCom.

The EVA concluded with the crew safely returning to the MDRS at 11:55. Antoine and Béatrice alternated as drivers for Opportunity, while Arnaud continued as driver of Curiosity. All mission objectives were accomplished, marking another efficient and productive sol of surface operations.

Later in the day, the crew took time to unwind with a group workout session, helping to relieve both the physical fatigue and mental tension accumulated throughout the sol. This was followed by a communal cooking session, where the team shared a warm meal—an enjoyable and grounding end to a demanding but fulfilling day.

Look Ahead Plan : Tomorrow, we will carry out Louis’s experiment, which requires the entire crew to participate in an EVA, meaning there will be two EVAs : one in the morning and another in the afternoon. His experiment, which began on Sol 4 inside the MDRS and will continue in the field on Sol 8, focuses on the interaction between humans and technology. For this purpose, he needs the crew to perform a series of movements, which will be recorded by a wrist-mounted portable device.

Anomalies in work: None was notified.

Weather: The day began with clear, sunny conditions in the morning, followed by increasing cloud cover in the afternoon. Temperatures ranged from 38°F to 79°F over the course of the day.

Crew Physical Status: Everyone was in good health today, with no issues reported.

EVA: Four crew members took part in today’s EVA, including GreenHab Officer Bérengère Bastogne, who collected two soil samples from the Sea of Shells as part of her fungi-related experiment. This site, once covered by an ancient ocean, offered a poetic backdrop to the mission. She was joined by Crew Engineer Antoine, who needed to inspect his installation following strong winds the previous day. The team left the MDRS at 09:37 after standard decompression, splitting into two rovers: Béatrice and Antoine in Opportunity, and Bérengère with EVA leader Arnaud in Curiosity. Mission Support reminded the team early on to reduce speed to preserve rover battery life.

The crew almost reached their destination at 10:20 after checking in at key intersections. While on site, they explored the area, collected samples, and used the drone to capture aerial images. Radio contact was lost after 09:57 due to poor signal but GPS tracking remained active. At 11:20, the team began their return and re-established contact at 11:40, upon arriving at the Cow Dung Road and Galileo Road intersection. There, they checked Antoine’s equipment and briefly reported their activities. The EVA concluded with the team safely heading back, with Antoine and Béatrice alternating driving duties in Opportunity, and Arnaud remaining at the wheel of Curiosity.

Crew was back at the station at 11:55.

Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist Report, GreenHab Report, Operations Report, EVA Report, EVA Request, Crew Photos, Astronomy Report.

Support Requested: Food requested by the crew was provided by the mission support

Supplemental Operations Report – April 2025

Date: 4/12/2025
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. Spirit.

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 5kW 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. Engine governor is being stuck in open position during startups and needs to be replaced, new part ordered.
Main generator:
1) Oil, oil filter and air filter changed on 04/11/2025. Hours: 9260.2
2) Current hours – 9274.4.2

Propane Readings:
Station Tank: 74%
Director Tank: 69%
Intern Tank: 88%
Generator Tank: 64%

Water:
Hab Static Tank – 344 gallons
GreenHab – 144 gallons
Outpost tank – 400 gallons

Rovers:
Sojourner rover used: Yes
Hours: 212.7
Beginning Charge: 100 %
Ending Charge: 100 %
Currently Charging: No
Notes on Rovers: Spirit is not charging. Perseverance’s parking brake needs to be adjusted.

Cars:
Hab Car used and why, where: To Hanksville for supplies.
Crew Car used and why, where: By crew from 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: Nominal
EVA suits and radios:
Suits: Nominal.
Comms: Nominal.
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
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: Static tank heater unplugged and removed. Screen doors installed in both trailers. Intern trailer heater turned off due to warm weather.
Summary of Health and Safety Issues: Nominal