Staff training and system checks
Craig Cooper, NURC/UNCW

Once or twice a year the center conducts short training missions to give staff the time to train and become certified on the many life support systems required to operate Aquarius. During these missions, hands-on training is provided in a setting that does not have the distractions of a typical science mission. During these missions we include at least one senior habitat technician and other staff "in-training." While the Center makes extensive use of manuals, there is only so much that can be learned before real world experience is required. We run training missions as full saturations, but they are shorter duration. Full decompression is required and is an important part of the training exercise.

During the mission, staff will: 1) individually trace all inside and outside high and low pressure gas systems; 2) study the details and safety features of the AC and DC power systems in Aquarius; 3) review the environmental control system, including outside systems and inside control features; and 4) participate in emergency response drills. The emergency response drills are designed to test staff knowledge of all the systems, especially troubleshooting problems that are typical or unusual in day-to-day operations. Staff training missions are part of a lengthy process (two years or more) that leads to becoming a senior habitat technician, or the "one in charge" of operations inside Aquarius during science missions. Senior technician for this mission is Aquarius Manager Jim Buckley, and the other onboard technician is Billy Cooksey.

This particular mission includes three non-staff members: Mark Ward, NURC Public Affairs, who will be photographing aspects of the mission and heading up Friday's live educational outreach event; Dr. Lew Nuckols, PhD, PE, Professor of Ocean Engineering at the US Naval Academy; and Dr. John Camperman, PhD, PE, chief scientist for NAVSEA's Diving and Life Support Division. Lew was an Aquarius aquanaut in mission #88-2 in St Croix, US Virgin Islands, and both he and John will be looking at ways to improve systems and operations aboard Aquarius.