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Aquarius Underwater
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An aquanaut prepares to enter the
wet-porch. During missions, the habitat is always open to the water.
Water does not enter because pressure inside Aquarius matches the
pressure outside.
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An Aquanaut staging out from Aquarius
using one of many navigation lines located at the site. Note the
"horse collar" buoyancy compensator. We now use tank mounted
buoyancy compensators, which are more comfortable, work better,
and allow more freedom of movement for the Aquanauts.
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Aquanauts returning to Aquarius
after a long work dive. Upon arrival at Aquarius, they previously
checked-in with mission control from the Gazebo, then removed and
stored their tanks in the Aquarius tank rack. The wet porch was
just a short breath-hold away. Today, tanks are stored inside the
Aquarius wet porch.
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Aquanauts leave Aquarius on their
way to work. Navigation lines are deployed throughout the Conch
Reef site to help Aquanauts find their way around, and ultimately
back to Aquarius.
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The Aquarius "gazebo" and tank rack
are clearly visible in the foreground. Twin 80 cubic feet tanks
were stored at Aquarius, and at various work sites around Conch
Reef. Today, each Aquanaut has one set of gear, they replenish
air in their tanks using underwater "filling stations,"
and tanks are stored inside the wetporch.
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Bow view of Aquarius. Note the
umbilical in the background that connects Aquarius to the Mobile
Support Barge at the surface. The umbilical provided air, power,
communications, glycol for the environmental control unit, and more.
Today, water is stored onboard Aquarius and the environmental control
unit is located on the baseplate - resulting in a simpler umbilical
setup.
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Scuba diver at the bow end, or
bunk room end, of Aquarius. The bunkroom view port is visible. Between
missions the protective cover was lifted in place to reduce algal
growth on the acrylic window.
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Aquarius at Conch Reef, located in the Florida
Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Aquarius is deployed in a sand
patch at a depth of 63 feet, adjacent two spur and groove coral
reef formations, visible in right corner foreground. Photo by
Tom Stack and Associates.
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Aquarius is much more than just
"the habitat." Experiments, such as this coral feeding
flume, need continuous power, data transmission, and computer control,
all of which can be supplied by cable from Aquarius.
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