Crew 21 was fortunate to be at MDRS for two historic events sure to shape our future on Mars. We arrived here on the same day that Spirit arrived at Gusev Crater. The following week, just as Spirit rolled onto the regolith of Mars for the first time, President Bush announced a major new space initiative that promises, if fulfilled, a human presence on Mars within our lifetimes. We came to MDRS with an ambitious set of projects, a small step perhaps, toward the goal of getting humans to Mars. We accomplished most of what we set out to do, while achieving a relatively rigorous sim, albeit for a shorter time than we had anticipated. The following is a brief summary of the results obtained during our rotation.

Extraction of Lipids from Soil Samples: Twelve samples were collected and processed through the two phases of the lipid extraction. After the final phase, the lipids are, in theory, suspended in the organic phase, which has been collected and will return to Earth for gas chromatography analysis. The analysis will show both the microbial biomass as well as an outline of community structure based on the different lipids present in each sample. This is the first extraction experiment that has ever been attempted at MDRS and, due to substitute equipment and alternative procedures, may not produce any lipids to analyze. If lipids have been extracted, determinable by gas chromatography analysis, results will be presented at the next Mars Society Convention.

Soil Moisture Content: We collected and determined soil moisture content for a total of seventy soil samples of many different types. Detailed site descriptions of each sample were recorded, including physical location and temperature. The soils will be further characterized and those data used, in addition to the above, to determine the relationship between soil type, water moisture content, physical location and, most importantly, how these factors affect the richness and density of microorganisms in the area around MDRS.

Remote Science Team Study: We worked on several Remote Science Team (RST) projects during our rotation, the most intensive of these projects looked at how crews can collaborate with each other. We had detailed data from seven sample sites first documented by Tiffany Vora (Crew 11) and we investigated what is required to relocate a sample collected by a previous crew. A paper on this work is being written by the participatory crew and members of the RST and will be posted on the MDRS RST website when it is completed.

Musk Observatory: Various technical issues hampered our work on the Musk Observatory. Both the observatory computer and observatory Hab laptop were off-site for troubleshooting and were not returned during our rotation. Also, the telescope hand controller and the link from the observatory cameras to the Hab monitor are not working -- the reasons why are still being investigated, and the process is being managed by Peter Detterline. Despite these setbacks, we were still able to do some planetary observing.

Erosion Processes Scouting: Crew 22 will begin a Surface Erosion Processes Experiment designed by the RST. We scouted potential sites for this experiment, and created a topographic map of the potential sites for use by Crew 22. Three of the sites scouted were in the Morrison Formation and one was in the Tunuck member of the Mancos Shale. The site locations and the map have been given to both Crew 22 and the RST.

Human Factors: The Human Factors project suffered from communications issues. We did not have the questionnaires and CogState login information at the beginning of our rotation, and by the time all the materials arrived, it was too late in the rotation to do Cogstate. Every crew member did, however, complete the Personality Questionnaire.

Ionospheric Propagation Study: This experiment was well on its way to being a failure, as the receiver used was registering a very high level of electrical noise in the vicinity of the Hab. Late in the rotation, it was discovered that a wire had come loose on the antenna, likely during deployment (can't see really clearly in those spacesuits), and that this was causing the sensitivity to electrical noise. Once the wire was re-connected, we were able to get a couple of days of reasonable recording, one of which showed a definite local sunrise enhancement of a broadcast signal from South Korea that was one of our beacons. This will be compared with data recorded from a similar system located in western Canada to see if the enhancement was observed there as well.

Amateur Radio Station: W7M made several dozen contacts on three different bands 7,14 and 144 MHz on two different transceivers. Barring the northeast, contacts were made all through the USA as well as into western Canada. We were heard poorly in Mexico but not enough for a contact. We also participated in pile-ups trying to reach stations that had good signals at MDRS from South America and Antarctica, but made no contacts with these. The 40-meter horizontal loop antenna used was not optimum, but it worked reasonably for the three bands. Additionally, as Crew 21 had two amateur radio operators, we were able to use an amateur repeater on Mt. Ellen for an EVA check-in from Candor Chasma, when the regular suit radios would not work. This repeater is linked in to others covering much of Utah, so we were also able to discuss MDRS with radio amateurs in Salt Lake City and Manti during the rotation. We were not able to use IRLP on this link, perhaps due to incorrect access codes. (Contact Nick at nhallpatch@netzero.com for pointers on setting up an MDRS station)

Radio Free Mars: We were able to broadcast our EVA debriefing meetings on Radio Free Mars every day from 10 through 16 January. In addition, we broadcast the radio exchanges for a RST EVA.

In Situ Construction Materials: Two approaches to In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) were studied here at MDRS-- regolith in bags and baked bricks. The regolith in bags experiment entailed the determination of a suitable location for digging regolith, filling sandbags, and constructing a small wall, 1.5m(length) X 0.3m(width) X 0.4m(height). Between the three layers of sandbags, two strands of barbed wire were placed for reinforcement. It is hoped that a crew later this season and sometime next year, will be able to report upon the conditions of the sandbag "wall." The latter ISRU experiment entailed obtaining five different regolith specimens, determining the in situ moisture content, creating a mix with the desired moisture content, placing in forms, baking at 80 degrees Celsius, constructing a testing mechanism and finally conducting a simple beam failure test on the resultant bricks (7cmX 13cmX 2cm). Each specimen was tested in two different ways-- one with a reinforcing matrix and one without. The experiment was quantitatively recorded and produced some very interesting and unexpected results. For instance, the strongest brick was made from a specimen with very sandy characteristics. Nearly all of the samples failed under very little load; however the strongest brick turned out to hold 19 times more load than the brick formed out of the next strongest material.

Stereo Pairs Photography: We determined the feasibility of taking stereo pair pictures from a measured baseline during EVA. The base line was laid out perpendicular to the line of sight to the subject. A pair of pictures was taken from either end of the baseline. Early attempts at stereo pairs photography revealed that long baselines were unsuitable for most scenes attempted. Foreground objects were within several meters, midground objects were about 100 meters away, while the background objects were several kilometers away. Good results were obtained with shorter baselines. The last pair studies done utilized 1, 2, 7.5 and 15 meter baselines, and contained a flat foreground, hills in the midground and cliffs several kilometers away. A lightweight and easily portable color correction panel was developed, taken and used on several EVAs. (Contact Mike Kretsch at mike1mars@aol.com for more details.)

Security Analysis: We performed the security analysis as planned, focusing on the outside of the Hab, the GreenHab, fresh water supply, and electric generator. Areas for improvement were found at each site, and are documented in a Security Report along with specific recommendations. The security report will be forwarded to Robert Zubrin.

We would like to thank the San Diego Chapter and the MDRS web team for their excellent work as our Mission Support, the Remote Science Team for their efforts on our behalf, the Crew 21 Flight Surgeons for their assistance and Don Foutz for bearing gifts, usually just when we needed them. On to Mars!