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that fidelity was due to the similarity
of the environments, but a big part of
it resulted from the detail NASA puts
into the planning and execution of the
mission — getting the kinematics right,
as NASA terms it. For instance, the
astronauts are not simply fitted with
weights for neutral buoyancy. Their
weight is carefully calculated to simulate
the gravity of the practice area. For
NEEMO 16, they were nearly weightless
as they would be in the microgravity
of an asteroid. In other years the target
was moon gravity, and the astronauts
left Aquarius negatively buoyant at
about a quarter of their earth weight,
as they would be on the moon. That
level of detail extended to every facet
of the project: A 50-second delay was
incorporated to make communication
realistic. Every excursion outside
Aquarius was designed to accurately
mimic spacewalks in terms of time,
distance and task.
Gernhardt said there are only two
significant differences between inner
and outer space that couldn’t be
adjusted for on NEEMO projects. The
first is the viscosity of water. “Space
walking underwater is like walking
across a muddy field wearing a pair
of heavy boots,” he said. “In actual
space, it’s like you’re on ice skates.”
The second difference is all the sea life.
Flashing another smile, he said, “Space
is antiseptic compared to the ocean.
Down here, you’re surrounded by life;
up there … well, it’s space, but the
visibility is incredible.”
Speaking from Aquarius on the
last day of NEEMO 16, mission
commander Dottie Metcalf-
Lindenburger told me there was no
other place they could do so much to
sort out procedures and techniques
for a future asteroid exploration. “We
made multiple ‘space walks’ each day,”
she said, “testing how to move, how
to anchor ourselves and how well our
tools work, all under extremely realistic
conditions. I can’t imagine a more
productive environment.”
The NEEMO projects may
take place underwater, but what’s
happening at Aquarius is space
pioneering. Down there is where
NASA sorts out the ideas, tests the
hardware, works out the procedures
and decides how many people are
needed for the next big push in space
exploration — all for a price tag that’s
economical rather than astronomical.
Yet, NEEMO 16 may be the last
NEEMO project because, after 20
years of operation, Aquarius is on the
federal government’s budget chopping
block. The habitat is owned by the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), which pays
the University of North Carolina to
run the habitat as part of the National
Undersea Research Center (NURC).
Even without factoring in Aquarius’
research and naval missions, surely
the undersea habitat is an asset worth
keeping. The exploration of space,
inner and outer, should at least be high
enough on our list of national priorities
to avoid talk of elimination.
I hope Aquarius is around to host
NEEMO 17 and that NASA has
the funds to put the next class of
astronauts underwater to prepare
for space. The next time I’m hanging
on the line for a 15-foot safety stop,
instead of counting the minutes, I’m
going to imagine myself spacewalking
outside the shuttle like Gernhardt
and all the other Aquarius-trained
astronauts, balanced on the edge of the
universe as the blue arc of planet Earth
rises into view.
—
Bill Harrigan
Preserve
the Future
The Aquarius Foundation
supports the continued
operation of the Aquarius
Reef Base, the world’s
only operational under-
sea research station. As
a part of its mission to
support diving research,
DAN has agreed to act
as a fiscal sponsor for
the Aquarius Foundation.
All the funds donated
to DAN through www.
DAN.org/aquarius will be
earmarked for use by the
Aquarius Foundation.
BILL HARRIGAN