mdrs.marssociety.orgOur Mission – Mars Desert Research Station

Skip to content Menu About the MDRS Research Mission Support Apply to Field Season Volunteer Previous Field Seasons Scroll down to content Latest Updates Posted on April 1, 2020 April 1, 2020 Operations Report – March 31st Operations Report 31-MAR-2020 SOL: n/a Name of person filing report: Shannon Rupert Non-nominal systems: None Notes on non-nominal systems: Nothing to report Power system: SOLAR ONLY. Nominal. Diesel Reading – 60% Station Propane Reading – 65 % Ethanol Free Gasoline – 5.5 gallons Water (loft tank): full gallons Water Meter: n/a units Water (static tank) – 250 gallons Static to Loft Pump used –no Water in GreenHab – 0 gallons Water in ScienceDome: 0 gallons Toilet tank emptied: no Notes on rovers: All rovers are in town to be stored until May. Notes on ATVs: ATVs are stored in a line outside the Hab until May. HabCar used and why, where? Parked at MDRS CrewCar used and why, where? In Hanksville General notes and comments: Nothing to report Summary of internet: Nominal. Summary of suits and radios: Nothing to report. Summary of Hab operations: Nothing to report Summary of GreenHab operations: Nothing to report Summary of ScienceDome operations: Nothing to report Summary of RAM operations: Nothing to report Summary of any observatory issues: Nothing to report Summary of health and safety issues: The septic tanks are both relatively full and should be pumped out either in June or October. Questions, concerns and requests to Mission Support: This will be the last daily operations report for awhile. Posted on March 30, 2020 March 31, 2020 Operations Report – March 30th Operations Report 30-MAR-2020 SOL: n/a Name of person filing report: Shannon Rupert Non-nominal systems: None Notes on non-nominal systems: Nothing to report Power system: SOLAR ONLY. Nominal. Diesel Reading – 60%. Tank locked down. Station Propane Reading – 65 % Ethanol Free Gasoline – 5.5 gallons Water (loft tank): full gallons Water Meter: n/a units Water (static tank) – 300 gallons. Pump off. Static to Loft Pump used –no Water in GreenHab – 0 gallons Water in ScienceDome: 0 gallons Toilet tank emptied: yes. Tank is completely empty. Notes on rovers: All rovers are in town to be stored until May. Notes on ATVs: ATVs are stored in a line outside the Hab until May. HabCar used and why, where? Parked at MDRS CrewCar used and why, where? In Hanksville General notes and comments: Nothing to report Summary of internet: Nominal. Summary of suits and radios: Nothing to report. Summary of Hab operations: New latches installed interior of rear airlock, exterior of main airlock Summary of GreenHab operations: Nothing to report Summary of ScienceDome operations: Nothing to report Summary of RAM operations: New latch installed on exterior airlock door. Lock on exterior breaker box. Summary of any observatory issues: Nothing to report Summary of health and safety issues: We continue to be plagued with what I believe is the same drone. Today it followed me as I was on a walk away from the station. No one was anywhere in sight. In addition, we have had a group or groups of atv’ers who are driving all over off-road. I am thinking it might be best to report both of these events to the sheriff’s department. Questions, concerns and requests to Mission Support: Nothing at this time Posted on March 26, 2020 March 27, 2020 Operations Report – March 26th Operations Report 26-MAR-2020 SOL: n/a Name of person filing report: Shannon Rupert Non-nominal systems: None Notes on non-nominal systems: Nothing to report Power system: SOLAR ONLY. Nominal. Diesel Reading – 60% Station Propane Reading – 65 % Ethanol Free Gasoline – 5.5 gallons Water (loft tank): half full gallons Water Meter: n/a units Water (static tank) – 300 gallons Static to Loft Pump used – no Water in GreenHab – 0 gallons Water in ScienceDome: 0 gallons Toilet tank emptied: no Notes on rovers: All rovers are in town to be stored until May. Notes on ATVs: ATVs are stored in a line outside the Hab until May. HabCar used and why, where? Not used CrewCar used and why, where? In Hanksville General notes and comments: Nothing to report Summary of internet: Nominal. Summary of suits and radios: Nothing to report. Summary of Hab operations: Hab is ready for shutdown except that I have to play musical chairs with things that I found that belong in other buildings. I was really disappointed in how dirty the Hab was after just a half a year of operations. The kitchen was a real mess. I did not clean it completely as it needs a deep cleaning (dishes included) before operations start up again. Summary of GreenHab operations: Shutdown complete until Fall 2020. I went to out the wheelbarrow in the GreenHab this morning and the door handle will not open. If I can’t get it to open, I will just leave it as is until May. Summary of ScienceDome operations: Shutdown complete until May Summary of RAM operations: Shutdown complete until May Summary of any observatory issues: The seal on the inner half-shell of the dome was off in the middle again but I managed to get it all back on this time. Will check tomorrow to see if it held. Summary of health and safety issues: Nothing to report Questions, concerns and requests to Mission Support: Nothing at this time Posted on March 25, 2020 March 25, 2020 Operations Report – March 24th MDRS Supplemental Operations Report 24-MAR-2020 Name of person filing report: Shannon Rupert Reason for Report: COVID-19 Shutdown Non-nominal systems: None Action taken for non-nominal systems: n/a Generator check, note if oil and coolant added: No generator in use ScienceDome Dual Split: Operational, but not in use Solar— Nominal, providing power 24 hours a day, avg. SOC 80% per day Diesel Reading – 60 % (ordered lock for tank) Propane Reading, main tank – 65 % Propane Reading, director tank— 69% Propane Reading, intern tank— ~70% Ethanol Free Gasoline – 5 gallons Water (Outpost tank) – 150 gallons Water (static tank) – 350 gallons Water (GreenHab) – 0 gallons Water (loft) – full Static to Loft Pump used – no Water Meter: n/a Toilet tank emptied: n/a Notes and action taken on rovers: Rovers are stored in Hanksville Monthly check and fill of rover batteries: Not done at this time, should be completed in May. ATV’s Used: (Honda, 300, 350.1, 350.2, 350.3): Currently parked outside the Hab. 350.1,2 and 3 are nominal. Honda is nominal but needs an oil change. 300 is still in town. Reason for use: n/a Oil Added? No ATV Fuel Used: 0 Gals # Hours the ATVs were Used: 0 Notes and action taken on ATVs: Nothing to report HabCar running? If used, why, where? At MDRS, used for chores CrewCar running, If used why, where? Currently in Hanksville. Campus wide inspection, if action taken, what and why? Nothing to report Evidence of rodents, where and action taken: No evidence of rodents at this time anywhere on campus Summary of internet: All three accounts nominal Summary of suits and radios: Nothing to report Summary of Hab operations: Ordered hardware for new lock on rear airlock Summary of Outpost operations: Intern Trailer cleaned and shutdown until May Summary of GreenHab operations: Shutdown until Fall. Ordered keyed handle to door. Summary of ScienceDome operations: Shutdown until May Summary of RAM operations: Nothing to report Summary of any observatory issues: Nothing to report Summary of health and safety issues: Nothing to report List and summary of projects: Continuing to shut down station. Questions, concerns, supplies needed and requests: Nothing at this time. Posted on March 24, 2020 March 25, 2020 Operations Report – March 23rd Operations Report 23-MAR-2020 SOL: n/a Name of person filing report: Shannon Rupert Non-nominal systems: None Notes on non-nominal systems: Nothing to report Power system: SOLAR ONLY. Nominal. Diesel Reading – 60% Station Propane Reading – 68 % Ethanol Free Gasoline – 5.5 gallons Water (loft tank): full gallons Water Meter: n/a units Water (static tank) – 150 gallons Static to Loft Pump used – no Water in Gr...