NASA Unveil New Captain NEEMO in Deep Sea Exploration
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NASA send 14th NEEMO mission deep below the ocean waves.
NASA is sending two of its astronauts deep under sea today as it embarks on the 14th NEEMO mission to explore the darkest depths of Earth’s vast oceans.
The NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) is working in conjunction with the NOAA to explore the final frontier of our planet: the Oceans.
Veteran astronaut Chris Hadfield will be swapping the limitless expanse of space for the undiscovered ocean depths of the Atlantic as he leads the NASA team in a two week mission launching today from Florida near Key Largo.
Mr Hadfield will be joined by fellow astronaut Thomas Marshburn, along with undersea engineer Andrew Abercromby and research scientist Steve Chappell as NEEMO 14 gets underway. Technicians James Talacek and Nate Bender from the University of North Carolina make up the six man crew.
The NEEMO team from NASA will be following in the footsteps of the great Captain Nemo although they won’t be going down twenty thousand leagues just yet.
NASA have already brought us so many stunning images of space, furthering our understanding of the universe, it is incredible to think what they might be able to show us of the depths of the ocean floors.
The crew of NEEMO 14 will be living aboard the Aquarius Underwater Laboratory which will be subject to a similar low gravity environment experienced on the moon. The crew had to undergo rigorous diving training in order to prepare for the mission which will require the crew to make underwater “spacewalks” to operate NASA machinery on the ocean floor.
As well as exploration of the ocean, the crew will perform scientific experiments concentrating on human behaviour down in the depths.
Performance, physiology and psychology will be assessed to see how the crew cope miles below the ocean surface. The NASA crew also hope to test autonomous crew work in preparation for a manned mission to Mars.
Hi NEEMO, can your deep water team take over the repair job for BP?
Looks as if they keep failing.
Time of essence.