News
Astronauts go diving to train for future asteroid missions
Astronauts dive into the Final Frontier
Astronauts don’t usually have to contend with marine life (or any other kind of life, for that matter – except for other astronauts, of course) in the middle of a spacewalk, but a NASA team learned how to deal with such distractions during recent undersea mission that simulated asteroid exploration.
The crew of NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations 19 (NEEMO 19) lived in the Aquarius lab, which is located 62 feet (19 meters) beneath the waves off the coast of Key Largo, Florida and is where ocean explorer Fabien Cousteau recently completed Mission 31. The astronauts’ week-long mission concluded on Sunday 14th September.NEEMO 19 commander Randy Bresnik, a veteran of the STS-129 space shuttle mission in 2009, observed that a fish swimming by is actually not all that different from the distractions that may present themselves during a real spacewalk (also known as an extravehicular activity, or EVA).
“It catches the eye. You certainly admire the beauty of it, but you don’t want to get too distracted,” Bresnik said from the Aquarius lab. “It isn’t too different than regular EVAs, where you have the world going by at six miles a second in the field of view.”
As with predecessor mission NEEMO 18, which ran in July, the astronauts tested out techniques that could be used to manage communications delays on an asteroid mission. There would be a 10-minute delay if you were exploring a space rock about halfway between the Earth and Mars, Bresnik said.
NASA is trying out a procedure in which astronauts would complete a circuit of the sites they need to visit on the asteroid while sending the information back to Earth. By the time they return to the first site, communications would have had a chance to travel to and from mission control, letting the astronauts act on any instructions from the ground.
Many aspects of life inside Aquarius are similar to being aboard the space shuttle or the International Space Station, Bresnik said. For instance, space is limited — the living area of Aquarius is about the same as the inside of a school bus — and the days are long with much to be done.
Bringing the astronauts into an isolated environment has advantages over a lab-based simulation because there are certain challenges you can’t replicate using computers, Bresnik added.
“It’s a unique environment, a distracting environment, a dangerous environment that really helps make the simulation and adds stress and challenge to it,” he said.
The success of the NEEMO 19 mission, he added, is due not only to the crew, but also to the extensive network of supporters such as safety divers, the managers of the Aquarius reef base and Florida International University, which oversees the Aquarius site.
Other members of the NEEMO 19 crew included astronauts Jeremy Hansen (Canadian Space Agency), Andreas Mogensen (European Space Agency) and Herve Stevenin, ESA’s head of extravehicular activity at the European Astronaut Centre in Germany.
Source: news.yahoo.com
Dive Worldwide has recently introduced Kenya to its portfolio of dive destinations, making it a new must-visit for divers. The company has chosen Temple Point Resort, located in Watamu, a small town on Kenya’s Indian Ocean Coast. The resort embodies the spirit of Kenya, with thatched roof buildings and bright white interiors, complemented with local art. The Creek Deluxe rooms enjoy a creek view and sunset vistas, whilst Boutique Garden rooms offer peace nestled in lush greenery.
An abundance of activities such as golf, stand up paddleboarding and kite surfing await those looking for action; while those in search of rejuvenation may partake in a range of yoga classes, or indulge in the spa. Spend evenings dining poolside dining or lazing in hammocks suspended over the creek; there is no detail missed at Temple Point.
The waters surrounding Temple Point Resort are bustling with life, however, there is also an opportunity to explore on dry land. Tsavo National Park is close enough for a day safari, allowing guests to double up on the wildlife experiences Kenya has to offer, from elephants to whale sharks.
Suggested Dive Itinerary: Dive and Discover Kenya
Embark on an adventure to one of Africa’s finest marine parks, Watamu, the first of its kind in the continent. Created in 1968, Watamu offers excellent diving and snorkelling for those of all experience levels. Lively coral reefs and the surrounding waters are home to over 1,000 species of fish, devil rays, mantas, whale sharks, dolphins and turtles.
DEAL: Stay 12 nights for the price of 10 at Temple Point Resort
Price: Dive and Discover Kenya now costs £2295pp, saving £150 per person. Including international flights from the UK, 12 nights’ B&B (for the price of 10), transfers, 5 days, 10 dive pack, tanks and weights. Based on travel in September ONLY. https://www.diveworldwide.com/trip-ideas/dive-discover-kenya#details
For more information visit: diveworldwide.com or call 01962 302 087
Over the next 12 months, specialist scuba holiday company Dive Worldwide will be supporting Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation with donations collected from client bookings to any one of its stunning dive destinations around the world. The independently-owned operator expects to raise £3000 for the UK charity.
Manager at Dive Worldwide, Phil North, said: “We’re especially excited to work with Bite-Back and support its intelligent, creative and results-driven campaigns to end the UK trade in shark products and prompt a change in attitudes to the ocean’s most maligned inhabitant.”
Bite-Back is running campaigns to hold the media to account on the way it reports shark news along with a brand new nationwide education programme. Last year the charity was credited for spearheading a UK ban on the import and export of shark fins.
Campaign director at Bite-Back, Graham Buckingham, said: “We’re enormously grateful to Dive Worldwide for choosing to support Bite-Back. The company’s commitment to conservation helps set it apart from other tour operators and we’re certain its clients admire and respect that policy. For us, the affiliation is huge and helps us look to the future with confidence we can deliver against key conservation programmes.”
To launch the fundraising initiative, Phil North presented Graham Buckingham with a cheque for £1,000.
Visit Dive Worldwide to discover its diverse range of international scuba adventures and visit Bite-Back to learn more about the charity’s campaigns.
MORE INFORMATION
Call Graham Buckingham on 07810 454 266 or email graham@bite-back.com
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