EVA Report
Date: 11 Dec 2012
Written by: Dan Wilcox
(NOTE: This didn't occur to me until today, but as I'm writing in-sim, I'm referring to the out of sim BLM-approved roads as "roadbeds". Since we are the first mission on Mars, from my perspective, we are tasked with mapping the area and finding suitable beds for future roads which we are using now for further exploration. In reality, we are staying on approved roads only.)
EVA Sol 11 A
Type: ATV
Duration: 2h 18m 13:43 - 16:01
Distance: 18.16 km
Note: This EVA was moved to the afternoon as EVA Sol 11B was cancelled.
Crew & Equipment
Leader: John Reynolds, Suit 1
Nav & Steno: Dan Wilcox, Suit 3
XO: Habib Palenfo, Suit 4
Points of Interest
1. 12S 0519913E 4252040N Road Fork on NE corner of loop E of Hab
2. 12S 0520760E 4251938N Intersection with Road coming from the E
3. 12S 0519147E 4251962N Road Fork N of Hab
4. 12S 0519470E 4255960N Road Fork near Interesting Canyon
5. 12S 0518243E 4256232N Interesting Canyon
6. 12S 0517642E 4254824N Road Fork to NW
Objectives
1. Find second roadbed to NE between 12 519913E 4252040N & 12 520760E
4251938N
2. Survey roads to the north of the Hab
3. Investigate canyon at 12S 0518243E 4256232N
Results
Objective 1 not completed. We were not able to locate the roadbed either
from approaching for the W or returning along the identified portion of
the road from the E.
Objective 2 partially completed. We were not able to find either of the
forks off of the northern road. These have been identified on sat maps and
will be returned to on tomorrow’s EVA Sol 12 A.
While I was collecting green pigmented clay (Pigment Sample #7) at
12S 0517960 4254024, Commander Reynolds discovered moisture in the Martian
soil on the bottom of a stream bed at 12S 0517923N 4254021E when he
stepped his boot into a muddy depression. This find urged us to look in
similar areas for more water.
Objective 3 completed
Investigation of the canyon yielded 2 points of interest:
12S 0518225 4255897: a 4 m x 3 m pool of frozen water in a shadowed
depression
12S 0518258 4256037: what appears to be a Martian cryptobiotic crust
I also collected further green pigmented clay (Pigment Sample #8) at
12S 0518224 4255930.
Lessons Learned
1. As originally thought, we can’t rely on sat map intel only as roadbeds
identified from orbit have turned out to be harder to identify on the
ground. We’ll move forward by using more accurate waypoints for the road
forks instead of assuming they will be easy to locate.
2. Water is within 10 km of the Hab!
3. Evidence of current life may have been found in the form of a Martian
cryptobiotic crust. We’ll relay the photos to the Remote Science Team for
further deliberation.