Aquarius Undersea Laboratory Hosts NASA Astronauts for Space Simulation and Training Project

The October mission in Aquarius includes three NASA astronauts and one astronaut training specialist. During the 7-day mission the project team will live underwater using Aquarius as a space analogue for working and training under environmental conditions that are surprisingly similar to many of the challenges faced in outer space.

Aquarius is typically used by marine scientists to study coral reefs and our coastal ocean. Project summaries of previous missions are available that include aquanaut biographies, expedition journals posted during the project, and pictures. The unique design of Aquarius allows "aquanauts" to live and work on the seafloor for extended periods using a special technique called saturation diving. This dramatically increases the time divers can spend working in the ocean depths and provides more convenient, on-site access to science equipment, and computers - the lab even has Internet. The system has also proven to be extremely safe. In 14 years operation no serious injuries have occurred.

Rationale for this month's mission is based on the fact that Aquarius provides a remarkably similar environment to that aboard the International Space Station (ISS). For example, the Aquarius habitat is similar in size to modules of the ISS; aquanauts coordinate operations remotely via a Mission Control Center located nine miles away in Key Largo; and experiments are conducted underwater using space walking techniques that are under the guidance of a mission control center.

Aquanauts remain isolated from the outside world for the duration of their mission because saturation diving techniques require a lengthy decompression before surfacing is allowed. The isolation, surrounded by an extreme environment, is important for studies related to behavior and physiology. In particular, the NASA Aquarius experience will be used to help build crew and mission control communication techniques, and will provide leadership and interpersonal skills training to everyone involved.

Several different NASA departments are involved in the mission. They will monitor the progress of the astronaut crew from the Johnson Space Center in real-time. Underwater communications equipment and cameras will provide interactive capability between the aquanauts and NASA staff in Houston. A number of tasks performed inside Aquarius are designed to simulate similar functions to be performed in space. A goal of the mission is to use results of the mission to help NASA planners shape future training programs.

As with each Aquarius mission, the October effort will consist of two UNCW live-aboard operations specialists, Mark Hulsbeck and Ryan Snow, and four astronaut specialists. The four specialists include mission commander Bill Todd, a senior simulation supervisor with United Space Alliance; shuttle astronaut and former commercial diver Mike Gernhardt; shuttle astronaut Mike Lopez-Alegria; and Canadian astronaut Dave Williams.

Education and Outreach Schedule for the October Mission

Mission Day 3 (event successfully conducted): October 23, 2001, 10:00am and 1:00pm (all times EDT).

The first outreach and education events of the October 2001 Aquarius-NASA mission took place Tuesday, October 23, during two ten minute interactive links between Aquarius and students across the country. Each Aquarius segment was part of a larger program called "Mission to the International Space Station" that included two 90 minute events hosted by Ball State University in Indiana. Mission to the International Space Station is sponsored by NASA, Apple Computers, and Best Buy. The program was webcast live and taped for later playback on PBS. The rebroadcast is expected to take place in the next few weeks and will reach an estimated 6 million students! Keep checking our website for PBS rebroadcast times.

Mission Day 4: October 24, 2001, 10:00am (event successfully conducted)

A special educational broadcast is scheduled on Wednesday, October 24 linking students from Webster Intermediate School in Webster, Texas and Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute in Toronto, Canada with the Aquarius Astronaut/Aquanauts.

Mission Day 5: October 25, 2001, 11:30am (event successfully conducted)

Join the Aquarius astronaut/aquanauts on Thursday, October 25 for a 1 hour webcast linking Aquarius with students from across the country. The event will be facilitated and moderated by NASA Quest at NASA Ames Space Center in Mountain View, CA. Anyone with an Internet connection can participate. For more information, go to http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/projects/space/iss2001/aquarius/.