[SpaceProgram] Underwater laboratory for Space exploration

[Jerry Isdale]

While walking my dogs today I ran into a neighbor who mentioned noticing my participation in the OpenROV project, which recently visited Aquarius ... http://openrov.com/profiles/blogs/mission-aquarius-openrov  Apparently he worked as a tech on Aquarius for about 4 years circa 2002.

The US NOAA folks have operated an underwater habitat called Aquarius since about 1985.  It has been in Florida Keys since 1992.    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquarius_(laboratory) 

Aside from facilitating long term study of reefs, it has allowed scientists to study people working in alien environments.  Indeed all shuttle and international space station astronauts have spent time at Aquarius learning to work in difficult environments (simulated space flight).  Aquarius is being decommissioned - having served a long life and now running out of funding.

This got me to thinking about HSP supporting underwater habitats, education and research.  Perhaps it is my location (Hawaii) that makes this seem attractive, but perhaps there is interest from the larger community? 

Jerry Isdale
isdale at gmail.com



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