Eva Report
01/15/2013
Oleg Abramov
Eva Number:
1
Eva Date:
1/15/2013
Time Slot:
earlyPM
Purpose:
The EVA crew consisted of Oleg Abramov, EVA team leader, Kate Greene, navigator & stenographer, and Angelo Vermeulen, scientist. As the first excursion of Crew 122’s MDRS mission, this pedestrian EVA was designed to test equipment and protocols, to explore nearby rock formations, and to collect soil samples for microbiological analysis. We planned to visit two nearby waypoints of scientific interest logged by previous crews, collecting samples of soil along the way. The estimated round-trip distance was 2.5 km.
We expected that suiting up would take a significant portion of the scheduled EVA time since the equipment was knew to most of the EVA crew. The process took about an hour. We expected the trip outside the hab to take between 60 and 90 minutes.
Narrative:
As expected, this first EVA required about an hour of equipment preparation before we were ready to enter the airlock. We did not have any notable equipment problems with the three suits, packs, and helmets. Only one of us took water in a Camelback hydration system because the expected duration of the EVA was relatively short.
The cold outdoor temperature required we wear two layers of clothing under the EVA jumpsuits. (This proved to be the perfect number of layers because we were neither too hot nor too cold.)
Once outside the habitat, the EVA crew headed east, towards our geological sites of interest. The walk to Waypoint 1 was level and easy, taking only 8 minutes. At the site, Angelo Vermeulen, EVA scientist, collected soil samples for microbiological analysis back in our lab by Crew Biologist Yajaira Sierra-Sastre. We continued on to the second site, the Petrified Tree. Along the way, Vermeulen collected two more soil samples.
Soil samples for bacterial analysis were taken at the three locations with different soil structures. Care was taken to use sterilized equipment and avoid cross-contamination. For each sampling location a separate sterilized spatula was used, and sterilized Falcon tubes were used to store the samples. Locations and sampling spots were photographed and location coordinates recorded. The storage and retrieval of lab equipment from the suit was not very efficient. Sleeve mounted pockets could, for example, improve the procedure. Using thick gloves also made things more time consuming.
After waypoint 2, we took a curved route back to the habitat, taking photos and climbing small hills and stepping over frozen creeks. We arrived at the habitat a short time later.
Eva Depart Time:
13:59
Check In Time One:
14:07
Check In One E:
518476
Check In One N:
4250734
Check In Note One:
Soil sample taken
Check In Time Two:
14:12
Check In East Two:
518728
Check In Note Two:
Soil sample taken
Check In Time Three:
14:29
Check In East Three:
518774
Check In North Three:
4250649
Check In Note Three:
Soil sample taken
Check In Time Four:
14:38
Check In East Four:
518733
Check In North Four:
4250721
Check In Note Four:
Eva Return Time:
15:01
Wp1 E:
518476
Wp1 N:
4250734
Waypoint1arrive Time:
14:07
Eva W P1depart Time:
14:09
Wp1 Find:
Eroded rock formation
Wp2 E:
518733
Wp2 N:
4250721
Eva W P2arrive Time:
14:38
Eva W P2depart Time:
14:45
Wp2 Find:
Possible fossilized structure