Hot pancakes were this mornings breakfast surprise for the 5i crew. Served with a side of peanut butter and a hot cup of joe they watched some Family Guy Volume Three in the background. Everyone completed their tasks accordingly and enjoyed a productive day. MS Cecil was feeling somewhat homesick and reminisced about her fur babies. CO Turner misses her fur babies, too.
The Crew discussed their thoughts on the book club's selected book: ‘Packing for Mars’ by Mary Roach. The ARG-5i Crew have a few chapters amongst themselves before finishing the book. Already, the Crew and MCC have begun sharing their thoughts, all amusing. Good laughs. The Crew is watching the movie club’s selected film: ‘The Fifth Element.’ The Crew and Mission Control Crew will watch the film tonight and discuss their thoughts on the film throughout tomorrow’s mission day.
CO Turner got to enjoy some gluten-free options found within her Mexican Rice and Beans MRE today. She brought one lifeline of Doritos-Nacho Cheese to accompany some dishes. MS Gonzalez added some familiar flavors for his snack-yum! MS Gonzalez enjoyed a quesadilla w/beef stew for lunch.
MS Gonzalez and MS DeJan completed a laundry day.
Crew morale is really jiving. Everyone is becoming more self-aware of where and how to pitch in or carry the weight of daily tasks assigned or unassigned.
Rover Excursion
At 1800 CDT, MS Cecil and CO Turner conducted an evening Rover excursion to test run MS DeJan’s Rover checklist in comparison to the UND Rover SOP. The Rover EVA crew also completed various additional research.
The Rover was operated by CO Turner with MS Cecil operating the radio and systems. The Rover Crew completed the test run following MS DeJan’s Rover Checklist as they compared and contrasted the differences to UNDs Rover SOP. CO Turner initiated the test from a simulated standpoint of complete ignorance and zero rover familiarity. CO Turner reviewed MS DeJan’s checklist following the map and instructions. Suggestions were recorded and documented for UND to consider adding to their SOP.
The Rover Crew used their experience and identified their surroundings to help navigate around the obstacles executing target locations. To give the EVA team one last challenge the IVA team communicated a simulated obstacle course.
Gas mask retrofitted for radio carry
On the IVA side MS DeJan monitored the mission and MS Gonzalez managed the Wave Relay system. Comms checks were uneventful. The IVA crew finished MS DeJan’s checklist and commanded tunnel retraction in 7 minutes, departure at 1803. To execute Test Card #9, MS Gonzalez would iteratively send the EVA crew ATAK points to be checked. Points Green 1 through 4 were simple “drive-to” points. The first 2 points consumed more time as the crew waited for the ATAK RDC to update. Noticeable was the EVA’s crew complications in dealing with Tangerine’s ATAK RDC failure. At first it was just a delay of reception, but eventually the screen was frozen to the Android home screen, displaying “App info” over the ATAK app but not opening. Eventually, it completely failed into a black screen. The problem was replicated back at base; the ATAK app simply displayed “System UI isn’t responding” with a frozen screen. Blueberry’s ATAK RDC became the primary device, and MS Gonzalez continued to send points 3 and 4. Noticeable is the delay in user position on the ATAK RDC. In other words, the crew overdrove the point and had to back up to the point multiple times. For point Green 5, MS Gonzalez sent 4 red points that the crew had to dodge while reaching the final green point. Once completed and returning to base, MS Gonzalez sent a polyline drawing of a simulated “radiation zone” that the crew had to avoid. The crew dealt with the situation appropriately; docking uneventful at 1843.
The Rover Crew thoroughly enjoyed this evening’s Rover EVA. The Crew improved their MPU5 communication experience even with the technical difficulties. Operator and navigator practiced undocking and redocking utilizing a combination between MS DeJan’s and UND’s Rover instructions which proved to be more streamlined.
Martian Soil
MS Cecil has had little change to her project. The PH tests all came back normal and she sprays her sprouts down to prevent them from drying out. To help retain moisture in the containers she put plastic lids on each bin. She then drilled nine holes in each to increase air circulation and prevent fungi growth.
Measuring EVA Performance
MS Gonzalez continues to gather valuable sleep data and the crew is showing a trend with psychomotor vigilance tests results when taken in the morning. Crewmembers are eager to beat their previous day test results; however, the effects of the mission are becoming visible, even when an optimal amount of sleep is achieved. Now that 7 mission days of data is available, MS Gonzalez will begin plotting trends so that members can monitor their performance a little easier.
Mutually Sustained Systems for Space Flight
It was determined there was too much organic material extraneous to the live plants that was causing an excessive off gas of CO2 in the container. The Tank was sealed this morning and CO2 allowed to build to greater than 5000 PPM to weaken any substance affecting the total output of O2. Tomorrow, the tank will be disassembled, cleaned, plants purged of mold, etc. Then resealed to determine if any O2 content will be measurable.
Green Study
CO Turner continues seeing new growth with the Earth and Lunar test and control microgreens. She loves the life that plants breathe into the Martian simulation. Nothing to report yet in the Martian Regolith. CO Turner enjoys spending time in the green-hab.
Even under infused conditions, nothing has occurred, wah-wah.
