Crew 1a - Crew Reports

February 7, 2002

Commander's Inaugural Dispatch (Robert Zubrin)

Log Book for February 7, 2002

Dispatch from Mars Base Utah

Robert Zubrin Reporting

After months of delays, the Mars Desert Research Station finally went operational today. A lot of things are still balky, the satellite communication system is behaving erratically, much of the internal network doesn't work, and there is a problem with one of the water pumps. But we have a completed and fully provisioned station, a fairly well equipped lab, a good power system, five functioning spacesuit simulators, three good ATV's, sufficient satellite and local UHF com capabilities to function, and a highly qualified crew that is willing to do what it takes to push through. So today we began.

The MDRS is the second Mars analog research station built and operated by the Mars Society in remote areas. The first was the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station, which started work on Canada's Devon Island last summer. This one is located in the desert west of Hanksville, Utah, amid several hundred square miles of unvegetated, uninhabited land. The landscape is composed largely of red Jurassic sedimentary rocks, that look as much like Mars as one could desire, and whose varied geology provides an excellent target for Mars exploration operations research.

For the next 3 months our station will operate here with varied crews in a series of 2-week rotations. What we will attempt to do is conduct a sustained program of field research into the geology, paleontology, microbiology, etc, of the area while working in the same style and under many of the same constraints as humans will have to do when they explore Mars. For example, crew members will wear elaborate spacesuit simulators whenever they go outside. These suits limit their mobility, dexterity, agility, endurance, and ability to see and hear in much the same way that an actual spacesuit would. Our communication with the outside world is through a (currently rather balky) satellite link to Mars Society Mission Support in Denver. Together with the virtual back-room of science experts that Mission Support can muster, the crew must do the analysis of the samples collected in the station's lab, repair and maintain their equipment, and handle the reportage and chores of daily life.

This is not the optimal way to do field science, so we don't expect to make many original discoveries about the Utah desert. But, while we are trying to do quality natural science, natural science per-se is not our objective. Instead, we are using the search for knowledge about the surrounding desert in much the same way as a marksman uses a paper practice target; his goal is not to put holes in the target - that could be easily accomplished by stabbing the target paper with a screwdriver. Rather, he is using the target as an aid in learning how to shoot. It is the same with us. By attempting to produce the maximum science return we can while operating under Mars mission type constraints, we hope to start learning how to effectively explore on Mars.

This first season will last three months. Before it is over we plan to conduct underground searches for water with electromagnetic sounding equipment, ground penetrating radar, and possibly seismic devices. These are essential tasks that humans will need to do on Mars. We will operate a closed-loop ecological life support system to recycle the water of the station, and we will see not only whether or not such a system works, but whether it is a morale booster or a fatal drain on crew time. We will do both intensive pedestrian exploration near the hab and motorized exploration at long distances from the base. We may, as we did last summer in the Arctic, be able to implement combined human-robot exploration operations to test which tactics work and which do not. What kind of robots or other tools do we really want to have on Mars to assist human explorers? This is a key question. The most important step in any engineering design process is to define the requirements. It does no good to design and build a superbly engineered system if it is the wrong system to do the job that needs to be done. That's why operations research of the type we will do here is so important.

We made a start doing this kind of work with our Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station. But Mars simulation operations on Devon Island are extremely expensive, and realistically, are only possible during the summer months. With the opening the Mars Desert Research Station, however, research operations will now be possible nearly year-round. This will allow a much larger quantity and variety of investigations to go forward.

The first crew coming from various locations, met each other for the first time in Hanksville this morning. We then drove out to the hab together. Our team includes Steve McDaniel and Troy Wegman, both biologists. Steve is a PhD turned attorney, who works with the Texas Technology Litigators firm. Troy does microscopy for the Mayo Clinic. There are also two women: Jennifer Heldmann a planetary geology PhD student from the University of Colorado, and Heather Chluda, and aerospace engineer who works on the Space Shuttle program at Boeing-Rocketdyne. Finally the crew is rounded out by Frank Schubert, the Project Manager, who works as an architect, and me, an astronautical engineer. I'm in command, but only for a week. After that I will be rotated out and replaced by Tony Muscatello, a chemist who leads Mars Society Mission Support. Frank will also leave after a week to be replaced by Professor de Wet, a geologist from Franklin and Marshall University. Everyone else will stay for the full two weeks, after which another 2-week long volunteer crew will take their places.

We got to the station around mid morning and worked together as a team hauling in the lab equipment and the provisions for the season, and following that, cleaning the place up. Then, while Steve and Troy set up the biology lab, Frank fixed various things, Heather and Jennifer programmed our mobile weather station, and I labored, with only partial success, to get the Starband satellite dish to work. I can see why these things aren't very popular. Believe me, if you have a DSL line, a cable modem, or a copper telephone line for that matter, don't get a satellite dish. These gadgets are finicky. Sometimes they work fast, sometimes very slow, sometimes they lose link in the middle of a transmission and you have to start all over again.

But then again, the communication links from Mars won't always be so great. We'll fix it if we can, live with it if we have to.

We start field operations tomorrow.

February 8, 2002

Commander's Journal (Robert Zubrin)

Log Book for February 8, 2002

Commander's Journal

Robert Zubrin Reporting

We initiated EVA exploration operations today. The team was all first timers – Heather Jennifer, and Troy. They did a great job, and filed an excellent report. With their permission, it is reproduced below. It conveys an excellent idea of the things we do on our EVA excursions.

Back at the hab, however, the day was hardly uneventful. We had a wind storm. While our weather station was unfortunately not yet operational, a conservative estimate was that it was blowing at least 60 knots. Part of the dome of the hab almost broke free and the greenhouse tried to take off for Kansas, and Frank, Steve, and I had to break sim to deal with it. The aim of the roof-mounted satellite dish was also disrupted, causing us to lose internet communication capability until evening. The most violent part of the storm was fairly brief, so that after the chaos subsided we resumed contact with the EVA team using our local repeaters. Frequently, however, the background noise caused by the wind blowing around their helmets made them difficult to understand and made it hard for them to hear us. When we would get their reports, we would repeat the essence of it, twice, and then ask “Is that correct. Please respond affirmative, affirmative, affirmative or negative, negative, negative.” That’s what it took to distinguish between yes and no.

There are sometimes very high winds on Mars. Because the atmosphere is only 1% as dense as that of the Earth, however, a 100 miles an hour gale on Mars only packs as much force as a 10 mile per hour breeze on Earth. So astronauts won’t have to deal with flying greenhouses. But the storm will still make plenty of noise. So today was an interesting test.

Anyway here’s the EVA team’s report. My favorite part is the delightfully understated two-line section that reads; “Weather conditions today were generally favorable. High winds were encountered which made operations more challenging.”

It must have been a blast.

Biology Report (Steve McDaniel)

Log Book for February 8, 2002

Biology Report

Steve McDaniel Reporting

The biology lab was completely brought online by this evening. All components including equiment and supplies arrived from NASA-JSC and Texas A&M; University and were deployed. The equipment in place includes a UV-fluorescent scope and supporting supplies, a gross specimen examination scope, microfuges, vortex mixer, micropipettors, hot plate, and magnetic stirrer. The Hab weather station will be operational on 09FEB02 and will add several additional data points to the sample data.

With all components in place and the Hab laboratory relatively cleaned, we are poised to implement all three phases of the biology mission. Primary biology mission is to create a photosynthetic survey of lithic microorganisms in the Hab vicinity. Samples are taken and as many data points as possible are taken at the sample site. These include GPS coordinates, elevation, relative light meter readings, angle of incidence of sun to sample, etc. Secondary biology mission includes return of the samples to the Hab, and further analysis. The further analysis includes gross specimen microscopic evaluation for rock type and gross biological characterization, subdivision of the sample into a portion to be preserved in 2% glutaraldehyde under refrigeration, a portion to be subjected to fluorescent microscope evaluation, and a portion to subject to the tertiary biology mission. In the tertiary mission, we will test each lithic organism sample for its ability to hydrolyze organophosphorous test compounds in order to detect cold-tolerant versions of the hydrolytic enzyme, organophosphorus acid hydrolase.

EVA Report (Crew 1)

Log Book for February 8, 2002

EVA Report

Jennifer Heldmann, Troy Wegman, & Heather Chluda Reporting

At our morning meeting, Commander Zubrin briefed the team on our EVA activities and objectives. An initial pedestrian EVA was aimed at exploring the surrounding terrain and obtaining samples and various environmental and geographic measurements of geologically and biologically interesting sites. An ATV EVA was to be performed later in the afternoon for exploration of a more distant region. Four crew members were initially assigned to the initial pedestrian EVA but during our suit up procedure we discovered that only three of the EVA backpacks were properly charged. Given this situation the second EVA was eliminated from the agenda and only three people were able to conduct the pedestrian EVA. Troy Wegman, Jen Heldmann and Heather Chluda began preparations to leave the Habitat on this mission.

Jen, Troy, and Heather suited up in the EVA suits with the assistance of Robert, Steve, and Frank. This process went fairly smoothly and took approximately 1 hour 20 minutes. This procedure was photo documented by our crew as well as a visitor from the Philadelphia Inquirer. Once the EVA team was ready, they entered the air lock for depressurization for 5 minutes. Upon completion of this procedure, the team egressed for the EVA.

The EVA team (and photographer) started their trek heading out at 80 degrees NEE. The goal of this mission was to provide ground reconnaissance of a region eastward of the Habitat in the nearby hills that are of Jurassic and Cretaceous age. During the initial hike out to the primary region of interest, notable sites for potential sample collection were noted and marked as waypoints on the GPS tracking system.

Once we reached our main destination after approximately 45 minutes, we began sampling from the base of the smooth ‘mountain’. The primary surface coating of the ‘mountain’ was removed to reveal multicolored layers of soil. Troy collected samples of this soil in sample containers. Heather recorded the GPS coordinates and elevation of the site while Jen took incident light intensity measurements and digitally imaged the sample area. The GPS coordinates of this waypoint (6) were as follows: 38( 23.98’ N, 110( 46.84’ W. Also, the crew aligned a measuring tape in a North-South direction (casing of the measuring tape marks South) and imaged the measuring tape. At subsequent sites we imaged the length of the shadow cast by a rock hammer for scale and sun orientation calculations, respectively (length of the rock hammer is ~11 inches). We also collected biological samples at these locations. All of these measurements were also performed at all the other sample sites.

Samples were collected at a variety of biologically interesting sites. All the samples were sampled from the exterior top surface of the rock formations. When splitting open rocks, looking underneath them, or looking in rock crevices, no apparent biological growth was visible by our team. Future efforts will focus on visualizing these specific rock areas. The samples we collected appear to be lichens or algae. Their colors were orange, blue/gray, or black. The following four sites were observed at length, and 6 total samples were obtained:Pictures at these waypoints are in the process of being downloaded, named, and filed.

The GPS tracking system was used as a navigation tool for the entire EVA. It tracked our route away from and back to the Hab. We traversed through wash areas, around rocky fields, and bouldered our way up and over the smooth ‘mountain’. Our minimum-recorded elevation was 4417 ft and the maximum elevation was 4592 ft. GPS coordinates and elevation measurements were also recorded at each sampling site along with additional recorded waypoints (not mentioned above). Our total mileage recorded was 3.1 miles. This measurement was line-of sight distance no travel over the surface mileage that would have taken into account the elevation changes. This traverse for EVA I was recorded on the GPS system and will be mapped on a 3D topogragraphic software: 3-D TopoQuads.

Wearing spacesuits during EVA activities helps to simulate the working conditions that will be faced by future Mars explorers. The suits are rather bulky and thus limit movement and increase fatigue. Manual dexterity is also compromised by the bulky gloves, and so creative ways of working with equipment and gathering samples must be developed. For example, the end of a rock hammer was used to push buttons on the GPS, and the aid of another crew member was extremely useful for changing the radio channel on one’s radio control. Despite the added challenges imposed by the EVA suit, the fieldwork was extremely successful, and the crew was able to meet its objectives without too many difficulties.

The most trying operational parameter during the EVA was the use of the communications system. Troy’s headset was operational only about one-third of the time; therefore, he could not hear or talk to his fellow EVA crew members or Capcom. We developed other useful means of communication including gestures (head nods and thumbs up/down worked very well), and we also yelled through our helmets so the other EVA crew members could hear and respond. There were also some problems communicating with the Hab via the repeater when we were located behind a large obstacle such as a ridge or large hill. This problem was typically alleviated when we moved within a better range of the repeater.

Weather conditions today were generally favorable. High winds were encountered which made operations more challenging. The wind disrupted some of the communication and so at times we were forced to find a small alcove out of the wind such that we could converse and determine our next course of action. The wind was also a factor during sample collection as the wind-blown dust tended to accumulate in our instruments and also slightly impeded collection efforts because it was more difficult to loosen samples and successfully transport them to the sample collection bags. High wind conditions were intermittent, however, and did not stop any of our planned activities.

Continuing EVAs will continue to survey the surrounding terrain. In particular, ATV surveys will be further ranging. Weather monitoring equipment will be deployed to allow further environmental monitoring. Exploration will increase familiarity of the area and lead to many more interesting discoveries of the spectacular terrain.

February 9, 2002

Commander's Journal (Robert Zubrin)

Log Book for February 9, 2002

Commander's Check-in

Robert Zubrin Reporting

At our morning meeting I laid out our plan for the next several days: a series of long-range motorized reconnaissance EVAs to give us a broad familiarity with the area and identify key sites for further in-depth study. One of the crew members asked if it might not be more methodical to start at the hab and slowly spiral out, studying one site after another in turn. My response was no: When you explore a house you don’t walk in the front door and then stop and spend several hours examining the contents of the foyer with a microscope. No, you give the place the once-over first. It is the same with field exploration. Before you invest a lot of time in focussed study of particular sites, you conduct a general survey. This gives you the overview you need to assign your priorities.

The EVA team was composed of Steve McDaniel, Jennifer Heldmann, Heather Chluda, and yours truly. With four people going EVA it took a while to get everyone suited up, so we were not out the lock until a little before noon. We took about 20 minutes to set up a weather station, and then headed north on our All Terrain Vehicles (ATV’s).

ATV’s are like four-wheel drive motorcycles. Your ride them in equestrian fashion, with a single rider astride each one. They allow you to travel fast over very rough terrain, and are light enough that if one gets stuck, you can probably liberate it using human labor power alone. The air/fuel combustion-engine powered ATV’s that we drive on Earth won’t work on Mars, but equivalent vehicles driven by fuel cells could be created and should be. Because while minivan-sized pressurized rovers will also play a role in Mars exploration, it will primarily be as mobile bases – they simply won’t have the agility needed to deal with most types of unimproved ground, and in any case, the idea of going through all the work of suiting up for a pedestrian EVA whenever a pressurized rover reaches an interesting site is unappealing. No, Mars explorers will need the kind of informal mobility that an ATV can provide, moving them directly where they want to go while keeping them in intimate contact with the environment.

The weather was perfect. We set out heading north, and after traveling about 2.5 kilometers came across a rather impressive outcrop of sedimentary rocks. We decided to check it out. Jennifer, our geologist, and Steve, our biologist collected all types of samples of rocks and possible cyanobacteria. I searched the place for fossils, but didn’t find much. This was a disappointment. The banded Mesozoic sediments included both terrestrial and marine materials, and wave ripples in the sandstone were clearly visible. By rights, the formation should have been full of fossils. It wasn’t.

We continued north another 2.5 kilometers and came to a hill too steep for the ATVs. I decided to climb it, though, to get the view of the region to the west. We hiked up, and were rewarded not merely with an impressive view, but with the sight of a fair-sized canyon and a passable ATV route to get there.

So to the canyon we went. This was a wonderful place, with a steep little gorge that exposed millions of years of banded sediments to easy view. I climbed around the rim and had a Eureka moment when I found some bits of petrified wood. These however were made irrelevant within minutes by Heather who found a small mountain made of the stuff. – in several varieties no less. But then I found something which really made my day – a bone of stone. It’s the size of a coffee-mug, and the indentation for the joint is clearly visible. The material I found it in was Jurassic, so my guess is that it’s a dinosaur.

We won’t find dinosaur fossils on Mars, or even petrified wood, but we might find stromatolites or other types of primitive fossils, and the issues involved are similar. Fossils finds are anomalous phenomenon. For one to occur several unlikely things need to happen. First, an organism which, as a living thing, must live its whole life in contact with the biosphere, must be isolated from the environment at the moment of death. This is necessary or the environment will destroy its remains. It must then remain isolated from the environment for millions or (in the most probable case for Mars) billions of years, only to be exposed the environment again right before you show up. If it is not re-exposed you won’t find it, and if it is re-exposed too soon it will be destroyed before you see it. If all this seems rather improbable, it is. That is why we are not all constantly tripping over Triceratops bones. And that is why fossils will be at least as rare on Mars as they are on Earth.

There is a lesson in all of this for those who think that robots represent a superior way of exploring Mars. With a human crew on this site, impaired by all the impedimentia of spacesuit simulators with the cloudy visors, backpacks, thick gloves and clumsy boots, our crew found petrified wood and a fossil bone fragment within two days. But to do it we had to travel substantial distances, and climb up and down steep hills from which we could take views and map out new plans. We had to search the sites we visited, processing the equivalent of millions of high-resolution photographs with our eyes for subtle clues. We had to dig. We had to break open rocks and take samples back to the station for detailed analysis. In short, we had to do a ton of things that are vastly beyond the capabilities of robotic rovers.

Sojourner landed on Mars and explored 12 rocks in 2 months. Today we explored thousands. If a robot had been landed at the position of our hab, it would have spent months examining a few uninteresting rocks in the immediate vicinity of the station. It would never have found the fossils.

After the canyon, we continued further north, eventually coming to a huge cliff, with a 500 ft sheer drop past several epochs of exposed geologic history. The view was spectacular. Heather suggested we rappel down. That’s the sort of thing she goes in for. Fortunately, however, no rope was available, and we all returned to the hab alive, having covered 19 kilometers in a day…

EVA Report (Crew 1)

Log Book for February 9, 2002

EVA Report

Heather Chluda, Jennifer Heldmann, Steve McDaniel, & Troy Wegman Reporting

In our morning meeting we discussed our EVA and lab work options for the day. We decided on a 4-person EVA of the following: Dr. Zubrin, Steve McDaniel, Jen Heldmann and Heather Chluda. Troy Wegman worked in the lab defining the samples from EVA I on February 8, 2002. We verified that all 4 ATVs were suitable to drive while in space suits, then we suited up.

Our first objective of the February 9, 2002 EVA team was to deploy the Hab weather station and it is functioning nominally. This will allow the biology team to associate actual on-site weather data with the samples. The weather station reporting unit was placed inside the Hab at the secondary airlock, and the remote devices were placed on an aluminum mast within approximately 20 feet of the Hab exterior, under the direction of Jen. (A subsequent EVA will position the weather station farther from the Hab when a longer electric cable can be fastened to it) Heather oriented the anemometer at 160( SE, using GPS, and Steve hammered the supporting stake into the ground at approximately 8 feet from the surface of the ground. The temperature probe was shielded from thermal radiation with an insulated cup placed about 4 feet from the ground on the mast. A Hobo datalogger to record temperature and relative humidity at 10-minute intervals (we are not able to monitor this remotely) was placed at about 3 feet from the surface on the mast. This combination of instruments will allow us to monitor temperature on a constant basis (and to obtain high and low temperatures remotely), wind speed and direction (and to obtain high and low wind speeds remotely), as well as the relative humidity. The weather station deployment took approximately 30 minutes.

Next we headed North on our ATVs to survey the area for promising geological and biological sites. During the course of our survey EVA, we took a total of 5 waypoints with UTM coordinates and elevation measurements at each. Three (3) waypoints were at sampling sites and two (2) waypoints were taken at sites of interest for future EVAs. Summary descriptions of the waypoints are stated below. More descriptive passages of each location from a geological prospective and then a biological perspective are then given. Finally the lab analysis of the samples from EVA I will be described.

The following three sites were observed at length and 13 containers of samples were obtained:

• Waypoint 11: 4253.267 km N, 518.579 km E: Sedimentary Outcrop - Location of ancient water flow and endolith growth samples. Elevation: 4479 feet.
• Waypoint 12: 4255.681 km N, 517.998 km E: Small Vista Butte – Good vista point for surveying the nearby terrain. Conglomerate and sedimentary rock along top of butte with highly friable, unconsolidated material below. Elevation: 4565 feet. Light meter reading: 58.
• Waypoint 13: 4256.043 km N, 518.178 km E: Canyon - Location of past water flow both stagnant pools and waterfalls, fossils found and large hypolithic growth samples taken. Maximum Elevation: 4508 feet. Minimum Elevation: 4172 feet.

The following additional waypoints and their description of interest are described below. These sites will be of great interest for future EVA exploration.

• Waypoint 14: 4256.159 km N, 519.570 km E: Top of Large Basin – surveyed and not sampled. Our first site at the top of a large basin looked incredible. It was labeled as an exemplary gateway to large canyon in the distance. No acceptable ATV paths could be seen. An extended pedestrian EVA to reach the desired cliffs could be accomplished. At least an hour long trek to the destination would be needed. Abundant vegetation was noted at this exact point. Elevation: 4577 feet.
• Waypoint 15: 4256.894 km N, 520.671 km E: Top of Large Canyon –surveyed and not sampled. At the distant edge of the canyon from us stood large cliffs of sedimentary rock with abundant horizontal and distinctive red and white sandstone layering. The canyon dropped approximately 500 feet to a creek. The edge of the side canyon where we stood showed excessive erosion patterns originating from below and continued underneath us for about 30 feet. The side canyon consisted of unclassified, easily eroded and fragmented rock formations. Elevation: 4544 feet.

These last two sites need additional and separate EVAs for proper explanation and discoveries. Pictures at all of the waypoints are in the process of being downloaded, named, and filed.

Geological Findings

Our first extensive exploration was of a large sedimentary outcrop at Waypoint 11. Around the periphery of the outcrop was a conglomerate rock composed of mixed size, well-rounded pebbles. The conglomerate was not extremely strong, and breaking the rock revealed potential endolithic bacteria several millimeters below the rock surface. At the top of the outcrop was a much more well-consolidated red sandstone presumably rich in iron oxide (indicative of a shallow marine environment). This caprock was much more resistant to erosion and often formed cliffs and overhangs over the less consolidated material below. Layering was still evident in this red sandstone and fractures in the rock were not uncommon. The sandstone was fairly uniform over the extent of the outcrop, and the grain size did not substantially change (in contrast with the layered deposits described below). Samples of the conglomerate rock (containing endoliths?) and the red sandstone were collected.

Below the red sandstone cap, the outcrop was composed of layers of sandstone with obvious distinctions among the layers with respect to grain size. Medium grained layers were composed of clasts on the millimeter to submillimeter scale. The layering abruptly changed in several locations where larger clasts were embedded within the sandy matrix. These larger clasts reached diameters of ~ 1 inch. All clasts were well rounded both on the surface of the outcrop as well as deeper within the rock itself (confirmed to depths of ~1 foot). Grains within the layers were well sorted (with the exception of the large clasts interspersed in some layers) and the large and small grained layers were both very friable. The thickness of the individual layers varied but was on the order of 6-12 inches. In several areas, cross-bedding was very prominent. Several layers were inclined with respect to the horizontal bedding of the majority of the rock. Such dramatic cross bedding is indicative of turbulent flow and/or a change in flow direction during deposition. Samples of the largest clasts within the large-clast layer were obtained and numerous digital images of the layers were taken.

Below this layer were (sometimes slumping) deposits of white sand with flecks of iron-rich particles interspersed within it (comprising approximately 10% of the particles). This quartz-rich sand covered the upper ~3-6 inches of the outcrop. Below this depth was a mint-green sandy deposit (pending affirmative identification). Both the whitish and green soils were sampled and imaged.

Below this phenomenal sedimentary outcrop was an outwash plain with a collection of the red sandstone rock fragments strewn across a bed of the white sand. These rocks were generally oriented in the same direction (roughly aligned with the large sedimentary outcrop previously discussed) and matched the sandstone caprocks of the large sedimentary outcrop (previously discussed) with respect to color, grain size, composition, and bedding characteristics. Samples of these rocks were taken which nicely exhibit layering within the sandstone, and the rock field was digitally imaged.

The next site of exploration was a canyon discovered at Waypoint 13. This canyon was incised by fluvial activity through rocks very similar to those seen at Waypoint 11. The walls of the head of the canyon were the same conglomerate rock seen in abundance at Waypoint 11. Along the walls of the canyon, the outer ~3 inches of sediment were the same green material seen at Waypoint 11, and below this layer was the same whitish sand material also observed at Waypoint 11. The same type of rock as seen at Waypoint 11 was also observed in the canyon along the walls (horizontal and cross-bedded sedimentary layers of medium grains and interspersed layers of larger clasts). However, at this location there was evidence of metamorphic rock-one large clast within the sedimentary rock resembled a slate given its fine grain size, definite slaty cleavage, and flecks of reflective mica. Samples and digital images of this clast were collected. Additionally, folded bands were seen in a rock near the rim of the canyon.

Throughout the canyon were numerous interesting geomorphic features due to both water and wind erosion. There was evidence for past pools of water as indicated by remnant shorelines and ripple marks left by the water. More resistant rock at the top of the canyon walls often was less eroded than the weaker underlying rock. These sites must be revisited for further analysis. A large area of scattered petrified wood was discovered near the location where a potential dinosaur bone was uncovered. Also at this site a fossil shell was discovered near the surface of the white sand material littered with small rounded pebbles of various colors and compositions (same materials comprising the large grain beds of Waypoints 11 and 13).

Biological Findings

The biology mission at MDRS took several steps forward today in conjunction with beginning the second phase lab analysis and with the 09FEB02 motorized EVA.

Primary Mission - Lithic Organism Sample Collection

The EVA team visited several sites. First impressions of the sampling from a biological standpoint are as follows:

The area is replete with geological deposits containing green sediment and strata (possibly copper-containing). This was seen in canyon walls, surface deposits in open ground, as well as in individual rock samples. Thus, we cannot simply associate green soil, strata, or rock (both exterior and interior) with a likely situs for photosynthetic lithic microorganisms.

As might be expected, the area has many forms of lichen. The first EVA (08FEB02) appears to have collected primarily lichen. The second EVA attempted to avoid collection of lichen. Within these parameters, the biology sampling was limited to endoliths found growing immediately beneath the surface of the sample rocks. It was also limited to samples obtained under (sub-, hypo-) rocks. One particularly encouraging site (Way Point13) had numerous deep (approximately 5-15 inches subsurface) colonies of a powdery light green hypolithic growth. The growth was not lichen (as far as we can tell prior to microscopy), and was easily detached from the rock surface. These rocks were of a size and mass that made them difficult but not impossible for one man to overturn. They were embedded in fine grained sand on the downslope of an embankment leading down into the small canyon at this way point.

At another site Way Point 12), a rock was broken and found to have a layer of light green rock just under the rock's sunside surface. Once microscopy is accomplished confirming that the samples collected in the second EVA are in fact lithic cynobacteria, it is the intention of the biology team to focus its collection activities to such bacteria.

Secondary Mission - Laboratory Analysis of Specimens:

• The gross specimen (dissection) scope and Olympus microscope were both used to image samples taken by the 08FEB02 EVA team. The samples included Waypoint 7 orange, Waypoint 7 black, Waypoint 7 gray/blue, Waypoint 5 gray/blue, Waypoint 9 gray/blue, and Waypoint 6 (geological sample). All samples except Waypoint 6 contained visible biological epilithic growth upon collection. (The gross color is mentioned after the Waypoint number). Upon visualization of the samples under the dissection scope, the rock surfaces containing the biological growth were porous, sandy, and generally rose-colored. Wet mounts were then made, and the respective samples were visualized using a bright field setting on the Olympus microscope with 200X-1000X magnification. In waypoint samples 5, 7, and 9, there were objects consistent with lichens (alga cells attached to fungal hyphae).
• The fluorescent capability of the Olympus microscope was tested using fluorescent beads as a positive control. The waypoint samples were visualized using this setting, and some parts of the samples were found to fluoresce. This was likely to be artificial background fluorescence as the intensity was weak compared to the positive control beads.
• The 35-mm camera on the Olympus microscope is functional. However, we do not have film development capability and cannot tell if the pictures are adequate. We are currently trying to crudely adapt various digital cameras to obtain images that can be sent to mission control or other scientific support personnel.

February 10, 2002

Commander's Journal (Robert Zubrin)

Log Book for February 10, 2002

Commander's Journal

Robert Zubrin Reporting

The crew have been working so hard over the past several days that only one member has had time for a sponge bath, and it has started to get to people. This being Sunday, I decided to set aside some time this morning before EVA to give everyone time to wash. Unfortunately we discovered that our water reserve tank was empty, (we are still on a once-through water system - our recycler won’t become operational until our greenhouse comes on line in March) leaving us with only 11 gallons left in the hab. I contacted Mission Support to reach our support person in Hanksville to come out and fill the reserve, but as there was no telling when this might occur, the sponge baths had to be cancelled, and we went to the paper plates to cut the need for washing water to a minimum.

The upside of this was that it saved time. So we planned an ambitious EVA. The mission was to penetrate the ridge line of steep hills that runs north-south just west of the hab to be able to explore the large region of uninhabited land that lies between this local ridge and the even higher Skyline Rim that also runs north-south a further 3 kilometers west. The EVA team consisted of Troy Wegman (a biologist), Jennifer Heldmann (a geologist), and Heather Chluda (an aerospace engineer), with Heather in command. Their instructions were not only to try to find or force a pass into the region between the two ridges, but to map the route with a series of UTM gridded waypoints with verbal descriptions, photographs, and, where appropriate, samples assigned to each. The idea is to create a guidebook to the area for the crew rotations that will follow us, so that anyone looking at our documentation would be able to know the character of the terrain around dozens of waypoints throughout the region.

The team left the hab a bit after noon and stayed out for almost six hours. While they were away, I acted as hab capcom and worked at improving our satellite internet connection, with some success. It seems that not all of the problems with the communication system is caused by Starband. A significant number of difficulties were being caused by a program called Webring that someone in one of the shakedown crews had loaded in the hab communication computer in a futile effort to make a webcam work. Webcam or no, Webring was acting as a computer vampire, sucking the life out of other applications. It also had distributed itself around the system, allowing parts of its program to continue to disrupt computer operations guerilla style even after I deleted its main folder. It took hours to hunt down and wipe out. Whoever wrote that software should be sent to Venus.

While I was enjoyably engaged with Webring, Steve McDaniel, the other member of the crew who stayed in the hab, conducted lab analysis of the biological samples collected during yesterday’s EVA. He imaged the samples at magnifications as high as 1000 times. The samples proved to be sublithic bacteria – exactly the type of organisms that some researchers believe could conceivably exist on Mars.

Lamont, our friend from Hanksville, came out during the mid afternoon with a full replacement water tank. In addition to working construction jobs for a living, Lamont is also a 20 veteran of serious fossil hunting. I showed him the possible dinosaur bone fossil I found yesterday. He confirmed it to be a dinosaur bone, probably a vertebrae. After the sim, I will bring it back to Denver for further identification by an expert at the museum.

Communication with the EVA team stopped after 3:46 PM. this did not worry me excessively. There is rough topography around here that can cause radio cutoffs. However, when 5:30 rolled around and it began to darken, I became concerned. We are close to New Moon and there is no light pollution here, so when it gets dark it gets really dark. GPS could provide the crew the direction back towards the hab, but if they were caught in total darkness in rough terrain they would have great difficulty proceeding. Fortunately, at 5:50 Heather checked in, and they made it back – just barely – by nightfall.

When they came through the lock, they seemed both exhausted and exhilarated. It was obvious that it had been a great EVA. They had bags of fossil mollusks (lower Cretaceous oysters!) and other samples, and reams of data. Best of all, they had found a passage through the ridge. It’s a rough trail, but well worth travelling. We’ve named it the Chluda Pass. The EVA team wrote up an extensive report.

Our plan for tomorrow is a very long distance motorized EVA. We will go through the Chluda Pass, then head north until we get to a flash flood channel called the Coal Mine Wash. We will then attempt to follow the Coal Mine Wash west to break through the Skyline Rim to reach the huge area of Cretaceous marine sediments around the rock formation known as Factory Butte.

It’s a very ambitious plan, requiring over 40 km of round trip EVA travel. But everyone is healthy and morale is high. This is an excellent crew. We are going to try.

EVA Report (Crew 1)

Log Book for February 10, 2002

EVA-3 Report

Heather Chluda, Troy Wegman, Jennifer Heldmann, & Steve McDaniel Reporting

The February 10, 2002 EVA crew members and their duties were as follows: Heather Chluda as the commander and navigator, Jennifer Heldmann as geologist and photographer, and Troy Wegman as the biologist and ATV guru. Our main objective for this EVA mission was to penetrate through the nearby ridge from our Hab to reach the Lower Blue Hills. These hills lie between the nearby Hab ridge and the Skyline Rim, Southwest of the Hab. After consulting the map with the entire Hab team members, we plotted out several key areas that might be passable with ATVs. We suited up with some special equipment to make our sample taking and overall observations more detailed and useful with many real time notes and we documented each waypoint with four (4) photographs at four cardinal points. We equipped ourselves each with cameras, writing pens, a cardboard template and the usual sample taking and GPS.

Our entire trip lasted from 12:23pm to 6:22pm. Just one minute before our air supply would expire. The EVA pack fans were working at full power for the entire trip. Our mileage was about 22 km and our elevation ranged from 4,451 to 4,649 feet. It was a long and strenuous mission that consisted of exploring off trail terrain and became proficient in our ATV driving abilities (along with moving stuck ATVs). Our mission was quite an adventure that would have not been possible if it hadn't been for the excellent teamwork displayed by all the EVA crew members. We accomplished much ground, finding many interesting sites for exploration and also documented heavy vegetated sites that would not be of interest to waste time exploring.

Our first passage option was a lower elevation dip in the ridge just Northwest of the Hab. After trying to reach the ridge, to no avail, we gave up with the observation that the first hill to accomplish was far too steep for ATVs. A successful summit of the lower hill passage could be achieved on foot. We then moved North on the 4WD road and turned off to the West at Waypoint 17 to try another passage through around the north edge of the Hab ridge. While Troy and Jen looked at an interesting sample site, Heather set out on an ATV to find a smooth slope over the northwestern mounds to achieve our mission goal. Heather quickly dead ended into steep cliffs and returned to help the other members who were collecting and documenting samples. After finishing with our science objectives for that site we returned to the 4WD road and headed farther north. After a short while we came to a large wash that could be seen for miles, snaking through a lower set of hills in the direction of our destination (Waypoint 26). This wash fed us through steep canyon walls of red and white strata cliffs to be observed at length later. After about 4 km we came to what is now known as ‘Chluda Pass’, a narrowing in the wash due to a two-way fork. Two crew members were needed to push the each ATVs up the small hill. From there we traveled above the wash to the left until it widened. We stopped at several other points and marked them with UTM coordinates and cardinal coordinated pictures for documentation. We did this until we realized we had passed the road to the Lower Blue Hills. We also stopped because the wash had narrowed too much for safe passage. We then had to lift and turn each ATV 180 degrees by hand since no turnaround spots were available. When we doubled back we had found the non-distinctive road to the Blue Hills and we also found a extraordinary sampling site where we spent more than a half an hour. For the first 10 minutes Heather set out on the Blue Hills road to scout out the non-defined trail and confirm that it was easy to navigate; and it was a smooth path (Waypoint 21). After taking enough samples of fossils and other biological and geological interesting findings we decided to return home. It was a beautiful drive home through a wonderful desert sunset, making it back to the Hab right before darkness took over.

The following is a summary of the documented waypoints and descriptive summaries. The majority of the waypoint's surrounding area is documented with cardinal direction coordinated pictures and Repeater communication tests was performed. This summary is followed by detailed reports of field biology, field geology, and laboratory analysis.

The following three sites were observed at length and 12 containers of samples were obtained:

• Waypoint 18: 4253.157 km N, 518.201 km E: Sedimentary Outcrop - less distinctive layering than waypoint 11. No sub or epilithic found, possible endolithic was found. Possible desert varnish found. Elevation: 4558 feet.
• Waypoint 20: 4252.993 km N, 516.121 km E: Observation at Wash area – soil samples taken of abundant grey dirt, the only vegetation nearby. Wash path resulted in a dead end because too narrow and ATVs needed to be picked up and turned 180 deg. Fossil of tube-like figures found. Elevation: 4625 feet.
• Waypoint 23: 4253.277 km N, 517.084 km E: Fossil Field – 300 foot field of fossils were photo documented and sampled. The fossils were mollusks and are characteristic of Exogyra (Oysters) from the L. Cretaceous period. The fossils were located not at the bottom of the wash area but at the top outcrop and diminished as one traveled to the wash itself. Elevation: 4592 feet.

The following observation waypoints and their description of interest are described below. Some of these sites will be of great interest for future EVA exploration while others are noted as sites of non-interest for scientific research. Four photographs were taken at each Cardinal direction and the photos will be filed.

• Waypoint 16: 4251.105 km N, 518.772 km E: First impassable NW route area – Area lying just North of the Hab. May be passable on foot. Red Sandstone with layering, scattered boulder field. Elevation: 4543 feet.
• Waypoint 17: 4253.390 km N, 517.938 km E: Observation point of Impassible Wash area to NW – dead ended into a large cliffs that were North of the Hab ridge. Elevation: 4542 feet.
• Waypoint 19: 4253.837 km N, 517.361 km E: ‘Chluda Pass’ – ATVs needed lifting up a short steep mound to continue to the Blue Hills road. Elevation: 4551 feet.
• Waypoint 21: 4252.050 km N, 517.037 km E: Observation point on the Blue Hills Road – road was surveyed for easy passage to Lower Blue Hills area. Elevation: 4635 feet.
• Waypoint 22: 4253.216 km N, 516.933 km E: Crossroads of wash with Blue Hills Road – non-definitive 4WD road, completely unnoticeable like the 4WD road near Hab. Elevation: 4566 feet.
• Waypoint 24: 4253.721 km N, 517.477 km E: Red Walled Canyon – noted as a good site for future geological studies. Elevation: 4494 feet.
• Waypoint 25: 4253.770 km N, 518.163 km E: Crossroads of 4WD Hab road and Wash valley – this was the UTM coordinates for the passable route to the Blue Hills road via ‘Chluda Pass’. Elevation: 4462 feet.
• Waypoint 26: 4252.823 km N, 518.729 km E: Vegetated Area – noted as a site of well grown plants from the North to the East and to the South. A small boulder field was observed on the Western side. Elevation: 4504 feet.

Pictures at all of the waypoints are in the process of being downloaded, named, and filed.

Laboratory Analysis

Secondary Mission - Laboratory Analysis of Specimens:

Secondary biology mission goals were met today through laboratory analysis of the sample return from the EVA of 09FEB02, and in particular two different samples from different sites at Way Point 13 (an apparent dry creek canyon containing at least pools of stagnant water). Sample I was obtained from a deep (9-15 inches below the surface) sublithic environment as previously described. Sample II was obtained from a lime green strata at about 10-15 feet above the apparent creek bed and that was obviously green in color from some distance. The hypothesis that was being tested was that the sublithic green soil sample would contain microorganisms and that the canyon wall surface sample would not.

In order to prepare the samples for analysis, three subsamples of about 10 grams from each was placed into a pair of microfuge tubes. One such subsample was used to create a 2% glutaraldehyde preserved sample and placed under refrigeration. One such subsample was saved for analysis in the tertiary mission (organophosphorus hydrolase activity). One such subsample of each was solubilized in about 1.0 ml of sterile H2O, vortexed for 30 seconds, and microfuged for about 1.0 minute. The microfuged samples were then decanted, saving the relatively cleared liquid above the pellet into a separate microfuge tube. The remaining pellet in each case was then used to subsample the surface of each pellet by taking a small portion of the pellet surface and solubilize same in a separate microfuge tube using a very small amount of sterile water (just enough to create a very thick susupension of the pellet surface material).

The samples were then subjected to various microscopic analyses. In each case, where possible under the conditions of the laboratory (handheld digital camera focusing through the monocular eyepiece), a digital photographic record was made. Each dry sub sample was used to visualize dry sample using the dissection (gross specimen) microscope. Each liquid aliquot (decanted liquid and resuspended pellet) was viewed at each magnification of the Olympus scope as a dried slide smear (no slip cover), and as a wet mount. Wet mount slides were further subjected to oil immersion microscopy. All microscopic mounts were viewed under bright and dark (fluorescent – none, red, and yellow filtered) field analysis.

The microscopy of the deep sublithic sample showed clear evidence of a substantial green-colored cellular organism that did not seem to associated with any hyphal growth (indicative of a lichen or other such fungal-type organism). The cells were very small and at least certain of them appeared to be motile (directional movement in excess of movement due to Brownian motion). Such cells were observed in both the decanted liquid and in the resuspended pellet. No overtly crystalline structures were seen in either the wet or dry mounts, as most structure was cellular in nature. Neither was there any apparent colonial (end to end, or branched) structure. All cells appeared to be individual. None of the cells appeared to fluoresce under any filter scenario (at least in a fashion or intensity consistent with the control fluorescent beads).

The microscopy of the canyon-wall strata sample also showed evidence of a green-colored cellular organism that did not seem to associated with any hyphal growth. In this sample, there was also a highly motile red cell, somewhat smaller (5-7X smaller) than the green, less motile cells. All of the cells were very small, and again at least certain of them appeared to be motile. Again, these cells were observed in both the decanted liquid and in the resuspended pellet. As opposed to the sublithic sample, there were many overtly crystalline structures in both the wet and dry mounts, with less of the apparent structures being cellular in nature. There were no apparent colonial structures. All cells appeared to be individual. None of the cells appeared to fluoresce under any filter scenario.

In conclusion, with further analysis still to do by way of confirmation, it would appear that microorganism associated with both sublithic and surface green-coloration may be found in the area around Way Point 13. One might hypothesize that the sublithic and canyon wall strata are areas with residual water content (perhaps through seepage of ground water in the case of the canyon wall patches). Whether this will be seen to be generally applicable to other less water-rich areas remains to be seen. The microscopy of the deep sublithic sample showed clear evidence of a substantial green-colored cellular organism that did not seem to associated with any hyphal growth (indicative of a lichen or other such fungal-type organism). The cells were very small and at least certain of them appeared to be motile (directional movement in excess of movement due to Brownian motion). Such cells were observed in both the decanted liquid and in the resuspended pellet. No overtly crystalline structures were seen in either the wet or dry mounts, as most structure was cellular in nature. Neither was there any apparent colonial (end to end, or branched) structure. All cells appeared to be individual. None of the cells appeared to fluoresce under any filter scenario (at least in a fashion or intensity consistent with the control fluorescent beads). However, it is clear that any comprehensive survey of photosynthetic bacteria in the region must include soil not necessarily associated with rocks.

Future work will include both the tertiary analysis and attempts to image endolithic microorganisms.

Geology Report (Jennifer Heldmann)

Log Book for February 10, 2002

Geology Report

Jennifer Heldmann Reporting

• Waypoint 16: This location was a wide plain with the impassable (via ATV) mounds to the northwest. Vegetation was minimal. The terrain slightly undulating and was composed of a bed of red clay littered with boulders to the west. The boulders were layered red sandstone with an average diameter of several feet. Wind erosion was common on the rocks, and samples of the sandstone were collected. Across the 4WD road to the east no boulders were observed but the ground was littered with smaller pebbles. A large resistant rock outcrop was visible on the eastern horizon.
• Waypoint 18: A large sedimentary outcrop exists at this location. The caprock is consolidated red sandstone with bedding visible. Next is a layer of conglomerate (~2 inches thick) followed by more sandstone (~3 inches), and a thicker layer of conglomerate (~2 feet). The layering of the conglomerate at this site is less distinct than the conglomerate layers of Waypoint 11 from yesterday. The clasts are also not as well sorted and tend to be smaller in size than the clasts at Waypoint 11. Samples of the conglomerate rock were collected. Below the conglomerate is a harder white rock covered with a film (~1 inch) of softer flaky mudstone (green layer of ~4 inches width, red layer of ~4 inches width). The outcrop then continues down as it grades into rubble slumps at the bottom of the deposit.
• Waypoint 20: This site was reached via a narrow dried-up riverbed as ATVs were driven through the incised, gravel-laden channel. The riverbed was surrounded on all sides by smooth hills (smaller than the mounds previously seen closer to the Hab) and relatively flat plains composed of gray unconsolidated soil. The soil was barren and lacked vegetation as well as any larger rock pieces. No geologic outcrops were found in this region. A sample of the gray soil was collected from the wall of the canyon and is representative of the soil on the extensive plains/hills as well.
• Waypoint 23: A sedimentary outcrop faced a canyon at this location. Sandstone littered at the base of the outcrop showed evidence of much windblown erosion seen as pits and alcoves carved into the rocks. Alcoves ranged in size from less than one foot on the smaller rock fragments and were large enough for a person to enter on the main outcrop face. The capstone of the outcrop was mainly the red consolidated sandstone, but in places the conglomerate rock formed the uppermost layer. Similar to Waypoint 18, the sandstone was followed by several alternating layers of conglomerate rock, although the distinction between these layers was not extraordinarily sharp and often the layers of different rock types graded into one another. Likewise, the conglomerate clasts were not well sorted (similar to the conglomerate of Waypoint 18 but in contrast to the well sorted conglomerate of Waypoint 11). Cross-bedding was widely abundant in this outcrop at larger scales than previously observed. Ripple marks on the order of several inches in wavelength were beautifully exhibited as well. The cross-bedding, ripple features, and rock layering were digitally imaged and samples of the conglomerate rock as well as green, slaty, fractured rock fragments which were scattered along the base of the outcrop were collected.

Biology Report (Troy Wegman)

Log Book for February 10, 2002

Biology Report

Troy Wegman Reporting

Primary Mission - Further Lithic Organism Sampling

The biology mission at MDRS was focused on laboratory analysis of yesterday's samples (described under the Laboratory Analysis Section and the exploration of new territory by the EVA team.

Today's EVA team visited several sites. As expected, numerous lichens were found in all areas where rocks were plentiful. We again avoided the collection of lichens.

Like yesterday, we primarily were looking for endolithic and hypolithic organisms. All rocky area waypoints were examined for these organisms. Waypoint 18 (see geology section for description and location) was the most prosperous site of the day for endolithic organisms. A green layer inside some areas of sandstone-like rock was exposed upon cracking. This was about 1 cm below the surface. Hypolithic organisms (under/bottom of rock) were not visualized at any location by our team. Another interesting set of rocks at Waypoint 18 appeared to have an exterior black/brown coating even though their interior minerals were lighter in color. This is hypothesized to be ‘desert varnish’, a painted appearance on the rocks due to microorganisms oxidizing manganese and iron to produce black and red colors. Upon chiseling these rocks, layers of green material were found directly below the surface. Possibly there are endolithic organisms below the surface that created this painted appearance. It would be nice to test for certain minerals in these painted rocks and in all rocks in general. Perhaps this may be a capability of future MDRS crews.

Organisms besides lichens were sparse at other sites visited by the EVA team. There were many plants near the Lower Blue Hills area (Waypoints 20 and 21). A fossil was found in a wash (Waypoint 20). See the other section of the report for details on this waypoint. This fossil has the appearance of tube-like worms Glomerula. Another probability is that the fossil is a plant. A large field of mollusk fossils was found at Waypoint 23. See the other section of the report on Waypoint 23 for details on the mollusk fossils and the landscape.

February 11, 2002

Commander's Journal (Robert Zubrin)

Log Book for February 11, 2002

Commander's Journal

Robert Zubrin Reporting

The crew was up till after 2:30 last night writing reports, and so were slow to get up. I was first to awaken, around 7:30, which is late for me. Since our water supply had been restored yesterday, I took advantage of the situation to turn on the water heater (which our power situation precludes using when there is much else operating) and take a warm water Navy shower. (A Navy shower is one in which you run the water for just a few seconds to get wet, then turn it off while you soap up, and then run it just enough to rinse off. We use Navy showers or sponge baths to conserve water.) As I had not had a chance to bathe since Feb 7, this felt really great. By the time I was out around 8, Steve McDaniel was also awake, and he was quick to follow my example. The rest of the crew was still asleep however, and late night or not, we had work to do. So I put a tape of Scott Joplin rags in the boom box and turned it on. This proved completely ineffective. Searching for something more potent, I switched out Joplin for a tape of the 12 year old Mexican diva, Nayeli Meza, who belts out songs as only 12 year old Mexican divas can, escalated the volume 5 notches, and blasted away. This achieved the desired result. The crew acknowledged the arrival of morning and emerged from their bunks. However they were gratified to discover the availability of warm Navy showers for all, and Steve made things even better by preparing a breakfast of hot pancakes and bacon for the entire crew.

All this did much to refresh the team, but it did take time, and it was 11 am before we were ready to start suiting up. This made it unlikely that we would achieve our planned objective of reaching the Factory Butte area, some 20 km away by ATV through difficult terrain. However we decided to try to push as far in that direction as we could. Frank Schubert had returned to the hab the night before, and he showed me a pass through the local ridge that was discovered by one of the shakedown crews. As this route was easier than the Chluda Pass found by the EVA yesterday, our rate of progress would be improved, at least for the first part of the trip. The team would be Heather, Jen, Troy, and me – a four person team being best for a difficult EVA as it provides extra muscle power to lift the ATVs should they get stuck. Four people also take longer to suit up than three, however, and it was not until 12:15 that we were out the lock.

We crossed the local ridge via the Schubert Pass and entered the large region we call Mid-Ridge Planitia which lies just north of the lower Blue Hills. Part of this plain is scrub grass, but much of it is unvegetated Cretaceous marine sediments. Here we found huge fields of fossil oysters similar to the ones found yesterday. These we have now identified as Pycnodonte newberyii, a species which inhabited the Mancos Sea which covered much of Utah 85 million years ago. Interestingly, while we found oyster shells by the millions, no other species were readily in evidence.

We proceeded generally north across the Mid Ridge Planitia. Much of the travel was easy, but periodically the plain was cut by sharp little flash-flood channels too steep to drive down and then up in an ATV while wearing a spacesuit. So we had to dismount and push them across by hand. This slowed our progress, as did the necessity of making waypoints every kilometer or so. This later process is accomplished by stopping and taking a GPS reading, several photographs, a radio link check, and a very brief geological examination to characterize the site. All of this is noted down on a chart that the EVA team carries and then included in our trip report. Our intention is to compile all this waypoint information into a kind of guidebook to the area for future crews.

As we went north, the landscape became increasingly barren, and spectacularly scenic in its bizarre desolation. The elevation changed periodically, and gray Cretaceous peaklets alternated with red Jurassic formations. Finally we entered a region that has to qualify as a geologists paradise; a chaotic assemblage of miniature canyons and outcrops of every description. We call this alien region the Barsoom outcrops, after the Martian world depicted in the romantic adventures of Edgar Rice Burroughs.

While rich is geology, the Barsoom outcrops are also rich in obstacles which would make the remaining 2 kilometers to the Coal Mine Wash path to Factory Butte slow going. As it was already 3:30 PM when we entered the outcrops, it was clear that we could never make it to Factory Butte and get back to the hab before dark. So I decided to call a halt to the advance and have the team spend an hour exploring and sampling the Barsoom outcrops themselves. We did this, and then turned back, leaving Factory Butte for another day. Because we had already mapped out the outbound route, and were not taking waypoints, we were able do the return trip three times as fast as our outward trek, reaching the hab in early dusk around 5:30.

After dinner we wrote up our EVA reports, and sent them to Mission Support along with biology lab results developed by Steve and a hab engineering report from Frank . This was done by around 10:30 PM, which is early relative to what we had managed previously. So we had a little meeting to discuss what to do the next day. The consensus was that it was important that we take some time to analyze and organize the large amount of samples and data we have assembled. So there would be little or no EVA activity tomorrow.

This settled, we had some time for some group R&R;, i.e. a movie. Every member of the Mars Desert Research Station crew brings a few books, tapes, CDs, and DVD movies to donate to the hab, so we have a nice little potluck entertainment library. The crew’s choice this evening was “The Matrix,” a film which I had never seen before. I understand that many people consider this to be a very profound work of art, with its deep deliberations about what is real and what is not, etc., but there are more holes in its plot than can be found in a family-sized box of cheerios. So I decided to view it as a comedy and found it very enjoyable when considered in that way. The experience was heightened by the availability of a little bit of rum, which was distributed to celebrate Heather’s 26th birthday.

The film was done at 12:30. I hit the sack and slept like a rock.

EVA Report (Crew 1)

Log Book for February 11, 2002

EVA Report

Heather Chluda, Troy Wegman, Jennifer Heldmann, & Steve McDaniel Reporting

At our morning meeting, Commander Zubrin briefed the team on our EVA and science activities and objectives. Steve had many samples from previous EVAs to examine so it was decided to perform a 4-person EVA with Dr. Zubrin, Troy, Jennifer and Heather. Our EVA was aimed at trying to reach the Factory Butte area by heading North to the Coal Mine Wash (enroute to the Muddy Creek) while taking geological and biological sampling at interesting sites. With our newfound knowledge of an old miner's path through the nearby Hab ridge, (Frank Schubert returned and informed us of this discovery he found while flying over the site awhile back) we decided to take advantage of this Schubert Pass.

The February 10, 2002 EVA crew members started their motorized trek heading out NW from the Hab to the Schubert Pass. The goal of this mission was to provide ground reconnaissance and scientific analysis of the region northwest of our Hab ridge and enroute to another pass to the Factory Butte area. During our entire EVA we marked Waypoints on the GPS tracking system about every 1 km and also noted other sites for potential sample collection.

We traveled on the highlands of the large wash area of the Blue Hills. This type of travel, versus traveling in canyon wash areas, made it easier to navigate and it made our average traveling speed faster as well. Our first stop was another smaller field of fossilized shells. This site also provided a grand view of Factory Butte and the Henry Mountains. We traveled through a Cretaceous grey layered soil with vegetation for about 5 km (crossing the wash that leads to the Chluda Pass) and then began our descent down into a large canyon wash area. These sites were strong in geological interest, unfortunately not so much in the biological view. We sampled and pressed on through a maze of canyons until it widened to a large basin. From there we headed due West and found the pass over to Coal Mine wash. At this juncture (Waypoint 36) Troy and Jen began examining and sampling the surrounding areas. Heather and Robert set off on foot up the ATV path to confirm that it would provide us with a safe and manageable pass to the next wash area. It indeed did and our sampling was productive as well.

At 4:15pm we wrapped up our activities and set off for home. Our route from Waypoint 36 to the Hab was traced on the GPS. Our one-way trip length was 10.2 km that was accomplished in 1 hour with no stops for marking Waypoints or taking samples. The one-way trip's elevation change was ~300 feet.

It was noted from this EVA and EVA III that there is a descrepancy in the GPS tracking capabilities. Obviously, the GPS tracks better when it has a clear path to 3 or 4 satellites with strong signals. However, the GPS differs from the topographic map by approximately 100 meters E and 40 meters N.

• Waypoint 27: 4251.527 km N, 517.711 km E: Schubert Pass - to lower Blue Hills. Smaller fossil field of shells. Elevation: 4669 feet. This site is at the top of Schubert Pass to cross the red mounds between the Hab and the upper plain of Cretaceous deposits. Another fossil field (identical to Waypoint 23) was found here. Samples were not collected since the ground is the same gray soil collected at Waypoint 23. Rocks and boulders are absent on this open plain.
• Waypoint 28: 4251.457 km N, 516.734 km E: Observation at Grassland – Elevation: 4600 feet. This Waypoint is still on the wide gray soil plain. No significant geologic outcrops are visible, and the terrain contains grassland vegetation.
• Waypoint 29: 4253.624 km N, 516.904 km E: Observation point on 4WD road – near crossroads of 4WD road and wash to Chluda Pass. Elevation: 4611 feet. This Waypoint is along the 4WD road indicated on the topographic map. The terrain is gentle undulating hills composed of the gray soil but there are still no large rocks or boulders on the ground. Skyline Rim is seen to the west, the Henry Mountains are to the south. This site has less vegetation than Waypoint 28.
• Waypoint 30: 4254.050 km N, 516.727 km E: Fork in road - Elevation: 4660 feet. Here at the fork in the 4WD road, the gray hills are showing more topographic relief. Incised runoff channels are visible on the hills, and larger channels cut through between the hills. Vegetation is still sparse.
• Waypoint 31: 4254.306 km N, 516.861 km E: Observation of Future Exploration - Elevation: 4664 feet. Another fossil field was discovered at this site. There is an interesting geologic outcrop to the east which should be revisited and studied in detail. This outcrop is interesting because it is located at the boundary between the red Jurassic and gray Cretaceous material. Also, the outcrop appears to have some interesting rock types that should be examined more closely. Vegetation is sparse.
• Waypoint 32: 4254.766 km N, 517.020 km E: Observation Point - Elevation: 4685 feet. There is a distinct dichotomy between the red clay and gray soil terrains. The landscape is mainly rolling hills with gray soil to the south, red soil to the west, and interspersed deposits to the east and north. Up on this plain the incised canyons and channels are less visible than from previous Waypoints. Vegetation is sparse.
• Waypoint 33: 4254.551 km N, 516.074 km E: Observation Point - Elevation: 4775 feet. These undulating hills are composed of the gray soil and the red soil is no longer visible. This site is an open flat plain, but more relief is visible to the west. Mesa features and plateaus with gully erosion are situated before Skyline Rim. Vegetation is sparse.
• Waypoint 34: 4255.541 km N, 516.258 km E: Observation Point- Elevation: 4610 feet. This site is a canyon located between large mounds of mudstone. The mounds generally have a gray color but have a tinge of red in areas near the surface. An interesting layer of resistant white rock protrudes from the mudstone mounds. Samples of this white rock were collected. A rockslide of darker rock was also observed on the mound. Samples of this dark rock were collected. The outcrop (including the white rock layer and rockslide) were digitally imaged.
• Waypoint 35: 4256.338 km N, 516.867 km E: Large Rock Fall - Elevation: 4572 feet. This site showed several interesting geologic features. Odd-shaped white rocks at the top of large cliffs were digitally imaged. A sandstone rockfall was examined and sampled. This rockfall was composed of rock derived from the upper caprock outcrop and showed evidence of wind erosion (pitting in the rocks) and ripple marks were observed (although at a smaller scale than Waypoint 23).
• Waypoint 36: 4256.980 km N, 517.122 km E: Bottom of Canyon - near the Muddy Creek enroute to the Coal Miner's wash which is the decided fastest route to the Factory Butte area. Elevation: 4564 feet. This large outcrop of well-stratified sedimentary layers is composed of red mudstone and clays typically capped by sandstone. Smaller red mounds of the mudstone are littered with sandstone debris derived mainly from the caprocks. The red sandstone is much more fine-grained than the sandstone seen at previous Waypoints (mainly to the east of Waypoint 36). The boundaries between the layers of the outcrop are very distinct and sharp, and the layers themselves are horizontal with not much directional variation. Cross bedding was not observed at this outcrop. A conglomerate layer exists just below the sandstone caprock, but the layer is smaller than the layers seen at previous Waypoints, and also the clasts at Waypoint 36 are significantly smaller than those previously observed. Based on the above observations, one can infer that this outcrop was deposited in a calm water environment. Turbulence was absent, allowing the layers to deposit in their horizontal, well-defined fashion. There was not much water movement at significant velocities, and hence the larger clasts in the conglomerate are missing since bigger particles cannot be transported in slower flows. Because the water was not moving rapidly, finer particles could settle out of the solution and hence produce the finer grained sandstone. A sample of the fine-grained sandstone, green and red mudstone (from the outcrop layers), and digital images were obtained.

Biology Report (McDaniel & Wegman)

Log Book for February 11, 2002

Biology Report

Steve McDaniel & Troy Wegman Reporting

Secondary Mission - Laboratory Analysis of Specimens

The biology mission at MDRS was focused on laboratory analysis of both the 09 Feb 02 and 10 Feb 02 samples and the exploration of new territory by the EVA team.

Secondary biology mission goals were met today through laboratory analysis of the toe different sorts of samples returned from the EVAs of 09FEB02 and 10FEB02. Way Point 18 apparent endolithic organisms (green layer just subsurface of exposed sunside rock surface) were used to develop a technique for extracting endolithic cells from the rock substrate. Way Point 23 apparent sublithic (AKA hypolithic) organisms (green coating at junction of exposed rock surface and buried rock surface) was used to develop techniques for removing lithic microorganisms from hard rock surfaces that cannot be easily fragmented.

In order to prepare the endolithic sample for analysis, subsamples of about 10 grams from each was placed into microfuge tubes. In order to get the sample from the rock substrate, hard steel snips were used to chip small fragments from the region possessing the green layer under the rock surface. These chips were further pulverized using a flat surface plier. The chips and finer materials were collected into virgin ziplock bags. By hand sifting, a course fragment partition was separated from a finer fragment partition. The finer fragments were then placed into a 10ml centifuge tube and hand settled into an upper courser layer and the extrafine materials on bottom – the course layer was poured off and placed into a separate centrifuge tube. The finest layer was then used to recreate the sample protocol established yesterday for friable hypoliths. (e.g., subsample was solubilized in about 1.0 ml of sterile H2O, vortexed for 30 seconds, and microfuged for about 1.0 minute. The microfuged samples were then decanted, saving the relatively cleared liquid above the pellet into a separate microfuge tube. The remaining pellet in each case was then used to subsample the surface of each pellet by taking a small portion of the pellet surface and solubilize same in a separate microfuge tube using a very small amount of sterile water (just enough to create a very thick susupension of the pellet surface material). The samples were then subjected to various microscopic analyses. In each case, where possible under the conditions of the laboratory (handheld digital camera focusing through the monocular eyepiece), a digital photographic record was made. Each dry sub sample was used to visualize dry sample using the dissection (gross specimen) microscope. Each liquid aliquot (decanted liquid and resuspended pellet) was viewed at each magnification of the Olympus scope as a dried slide smear (no slip cover), and as a wet mount. Wet mount slides were further subjected to oil immersion microscopy. All microscopic mounts were viewed under bright and dark (fluorescent – none, red, and yellow filtered) field analysis.

One subsample of each of the endolith and sublithic organism was used to create a 2% glutaraldehyde preserved sample and placed under refrigeration. One such subsample was saved for analysis in the tertiary mission (organophosphorus hydrolase activity).

The microscopy of the endolithic sample showed clear evidence of cellular organisms (cellular inclusions, ovoid, pigmented). Certain of the cells were very small and at least certain of them appeared to be motile (directional movement in excess of movement due to Brownian motion). Such cells were observed in both the decanted liquid and in the resuspended pellet. There were also crystalline structures. There were apparent colonial (end to end, segmented or branched) structures of much larger cells. All motile cells appeared to be individual. None of the cells appeared to fluoresce (brightly, at least) under any filter scenario (at least in a fashion or intensity consistent with the control fluorescent beads).

The microscopy of the sublithic sample also showed clear evidence of cellular organisms (cellular inclusions, ovoid, pigmented). There were very few individual cells as opposed to other samples imaged to date. There were apparent colonial (end to end, segmented or branched) structures of average sized cells. No motile cells appeared. Certain of the colonial structures appeared to fluoresce using a yellow filter UV. The flouresence might be mere background, however it was differentiated between green, yellow and orange colors. None of the cells appeared to fluoresce under any filter scenario in a fashion or intensity consistent with the control fluorescent beads).

In conclusion, with further analysis still to do by way of confirmation, it would appear that we have devised a way to extract and image microorganism associated with both endolithic and tightly bound to hard rock sublithic surface microorganisms. The microscopy of the endolithic sample showed clear evidence of a substantial green-colored cellular organism. Such cells were observed in both the decanted liquid and in the resuspended pellet.

Future work will include both the tertiary analysis and starting to do the lithic organisms survey.

Primary Mission - Further Biological Exploration

Today’s 11FEB02 EVA team visited several sites starting with the Lower Blue Hills area northwest of the hab, and finishing close to the Coal Mine wash area. Vegetation was plentiful in the Lower Blue Hills area and became sparser the further northwest we went. In the Lower Blue Hills area there were few rocks to examine for lithic organisms. However, there were mollusk fossils like those found yesterday in this location. Other landscapes further north and closer to the Coal Mine wash area contained many varieties of rocks that did not appear to have growth on any location about the rocks. We then descended to Waypoint 35 and found large rocks covered in a desert varnish fashion, as described yesterday. There may be endolithic growth below the desert varnish, and a sample was taken for lab analysis. Lichens were plentiful in this area, including a large white variety not seen in other locations. Frozen water was found at Waypoint 36, and a sample was taken. This is the only water found so far in our area and will be microscopically examined. Also, a green clay-like sample was taken in the same area for comparison with suspected green algae/cyanobacteria we are seeing in secondary mission analyses. See the other report section for Waypoint locations and descriptions.

Engineering Report (Frank Schubert)

Log Book for February 11, 2002

Engineering Report

Frank Schubert Reporting

Roof Repair: Today the opening in the middle of the roof was framed in and a circular opening installed. The opening is 24" in diameter and about 11" deep. It is covered by a piece of Plexiglas that is 3/8" thick. Two-L brackets that are bolted to the frame of the opening attach the Plexiglas. The membrane material that was used on the rest of the roof covers the opening and the framing. The membrane has not been glued down yet, as we need at least 50 degrees for three hours to make the glue stick. Tomorrow is going to be warm and we will apply the glue when it is warm enough.

Weather Station: The weather station was moved from the north side of the hab to the roof. The mast penetrates the roof and is attached to the ceiling of the staterooms. The station is mounted to the stateroom wall on the upper deck.

Water Pump: The new water pump was installed and filled the tank in about 15 minutes. The pump has a remote switch, but the switch was broken. The pump will turn on with the remote switch but will not turn off. If the remote switch can’t be fixed a hard switch will be installed near the water tank.

Generator: The generator is working well. Tonight it will be turned off while we sleep to give it a rest. We have not blown the fuse this evening. We are watching the power use very closely. We have not heated any water today.