EVA-7 Report
Diego Casa Reporting

Duration: 1003-1054 (51 minutes)

Participants: Bob McNally, Diego Casa

Equipment: ATVs, tools.

Route: just outside of HAB, ATV parking space.

Objectives/Work Done: This EVA was required to fix ATV#3.

Weather: Clear, sunny.

Narrative: Bob and I went out to fix ATV#3 which had a problem (see engineering report). After evaluating the situation, we requested copper wire and a wire cutter, which were placed in the airlock for us to retrieve.

Lessons Learned:

1. Delicate repair work in sim is hard put possible, and should become much easier with practice.
2. In a real case, there should be a small airlock for tools and other small objects. Maybe also, the main airlock should be big enough to drive a vehicle inside for major repairs.

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EVA-8 Report
Bob McNally Reporting

Theme: Return to Chulda Pass

Duration: 12:18-15:57 (2 hours 39 minutes)

Participants: Kyoichi Sasazawa, Louise Wynn, Bob McNally

Equipment: Cameras, GPS's, map, magnetic susceptibility meter, scintillometer.

Route:

• 4250.93N 0518.17E to 4250.93N 0518.90E (wpt 101)
• 4250.93N 0518.90E to 4251.75N 0519.20E (wpt 102)
• 4251.75N 0519.20E to 4252.83N 0518.59E (wpt 103)
• 4252.83N 0518.59E to 4255.67N 0518.62E (wpt 104)
• 4255.67N 0518.62E to 4253.42N 0517.80E (wpt 105)
• 4253.42N 0517.80E to 4253.28N 0517.08E (wpt 106)
• 4253.28N 0517.08E to 4253.21N 0517.69E (wpt 109)

Objectives/Work Done: This EVA was to return our Geologist (Kyochi Sasazawa) to Chluda Pass (wpt 105 and 106), an area he had determined to be a potential fossil site. An earlier trip, abbreviated by darkness had yielded encouraging results, that affirmed the value of a return trip. In addition, Louise Wynn wanted to continue taking geophysical data at numerous diverse points. We traveled by ATV to where we had left off on the earlier visit, and continued on foot, inspecting revealed strata on either side of a dry streambed. Louise took readings with magnetic susceptibility meter and scintillometer readings at a dozen points and recorded grid references for them. Bob McNally photographed the EVA, the work, and the site, continued his project of documenting visual traces left by water, at various scales, and acted as EVA commander.

The crew overcame the obstacle of a balky ignition switch on ATV #2 at the start of the mission, with an in-sim repair (earlier in the day ATV #3 also had an ignition switch problem, which was fixed in-sim). A Finnish TV crew visiting the hab shot the preparation and departure, and the first half of the trip to the site. The crew perfomed very well, working as a team to support the geological work that was the main purpose of the EVA. Kyochi found many specimens of a late Jurassic Mollusk, and samples of microfossils (see 2/19 Geology Report for details). Kyochi was responsible for the excellent planning of the location, and did the critical observation at the site that led to his findings. The ATVs ran well once the switch problem was overcome.

Weather: Clear and Sunny. Temp range 46-50F

Maximum distance from Hab: 2.5km.

Lessons Learned: The ATVs have been used hard and need repair from time to time, but are immensely useful for reaching distant objectives. Repairs in-sim are do-able but take time. Remembering all needed gear (such as arm mirrors for the ATVs) allows for a shorter timeline and more work time at the objective. Good planning of objective and location increase the chances of a successful EVA. Careful arrangement of instruments, nav equipment, sample stowage, and cameras on the outside of the suit definitely improves ease of use. Each EVA is an opportunity to refine this process, and each of the crew advanced in this area on this EVA.