Sol Summary – November 7th

Sol# 45

Person filling out report: Annalea Beattie

Summary Title: Day 4 of Science Operations Trials

Mission Status: on track

Sol Activity Summary:

This morning we continued to organise the science equipment for the laboratory, unexpectedly our German neighbours dropped in for a tour of the hab and supplies arrived, for instance, oven mitts, cooking tongs. (These kitchen things are much appreciated and make our lives less dangerous while we are cooking).
This afternoon was EVA #25, our fourth day of science operations trials in full suits in a field site that was completely stunning – sandstone cliffs towering above a shallow valley full of glittering gypsum. On the way home we stopped for a minute at Coal Mine Wash to check out the exposed coal and the weathered sandstone.
Home now, reports, pizza, reports, bed.

MDRS lessons:

1. Time flies faster in the spacesuit as you are focused.
2. Don’t forget your gloves.

Plans: process field notes and samples and debrief from our four day science operations trials.

Crew Physical Status: very well.

Weather: gorgeous day, warm with a very blue sky. Wish you were here.

Anomolies:

1. Unexpectedly our German neighbours dropped in for a tour of the hab

2. Alex found gryphea on top of an enormous boulder in a pool of mud. It’s unusual that these 150 million year old oyster shells should be found in the area of our field site. We have not seen any though we have extensively combed the area and likewise Shannon has never seen them there before and she knows the area back the front. We can only surmise that these were regurgitated by a prehistoric bird though Jon Clarke thinks someone put them there. It’s an anomoly for sure.