Aquarius Reef Base

Aquarius Reef Base Aquarius Reef Base is the world's only undersea research station dedicated to science and education. Most importantly, Aquarius is a platform for everyone.
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The Medina Aquarius Program at FIU is dedicated to the study and preservation of marine ecosystems worldwide. As part of the FIU Marine Education and Research Center, the Medina Aquarius Program is enhancing the scope and impact of FIU on teaching, research, educational outreach, technology development and professional training. At the heart of the program is the one-of-a-kind Aquarius Reef Base,

the world’s only undersea research laboratory. Aquarius is a complex system that features the undersea habitat located in a sand patch on Conch Reef; a life support buoy on the surface that contains power generators, air compressors and telecommunications equipment; and a mission control center in Islamorada, Florida. Because the habitat provides divers with the ability to live undersea for weeks at a time, Aquarius enables research that cannot be done anywhere else on the planet. Unlike traditional surface-based scuba diving, which limits the amount of time divers can spend on the bottom, Aquarius aquanauts are saturation divers. This capability means researchers can spend up to nine hours of bottom time per day at 95 feet and an unlimited amount of time in the water at 50 feet. In keeping with the mission of FIU’s School of Environment, Arts and Society (SEAS) to, in part, ensure a sustainable future, the Medina Aquarius Program includes extensive educational outreach programming to give access to its marine ecosystem, share its science, and inspire countless minds young and old. Its potential is boundless. Aquarius Reef Base: Mission Themes

Marine Ecosystem Science and Long-Term Monitoring
Aquarius provides scientists with the opportunity to conduct crucial research covering a variety of areas including water quality, coral reef biology, ecology, and physiology, long-term ocean monitoring, restoration science, ocean acidification, and global climate change. Undersea Equipment Testing
Aquarius provides extended presence in a real underwater environment, which exceeds the capabilities of scuba diving or shore-based facilities for equipment testing. In this capacity, Aquarius can evaluate the latest technologies in ocean observing, forecasting and modeling, reef monitoring, and extreme environment equipment. Training and Procedure Development
Through partnerships with NASA, the United States Navy, and others, Aquarius serves as a space analog, training platform, and remote telemedicine testing facility. Studies include human physiological responses to extreme environments, spacewalk and lunar excursion procedures. Robotic geological sample retrieval and remote tele-robotic surgical procedures have also been tested during Aquarius saturation missions. Outreach and Engagement
With each mission, Aquarius is inspiring the next generation of researchers and explorers through innovative education and outreach programs that reach millions of students globally. Leveraging onboard video conferencing capabilities, scientists taking up residence in Aquarius are able to engage audiences worldwide through interactive classes and live chats. Researchers are able to teach classes from the depths of the ocean and visit with schoolchildren by offering virtual fieldtrips of the undersea research lab. Aquarius also features the Teacher Under the Sea program, which provides unique experiential learning opportunities to engage today’s explorers and tomorrow’s problem solvers.

Great work by 'Introduction to Saturation Diving' students. Looking forward to the fall/winter class.
09/06/2023

Great work by 'Introduction to Saturation Diving' students. Looking forward to the fall/winter class.

Scenario: Troubleshoot power and air loss in Aquarius requiring 'emergency' evacuation from the habitat to shore base vi...
08/25/2023

Scenario: Troubleshoot power and air loss in Aquarius requiring 'emergency' evacuation from the habitat to shore base via TRCS

Introducing the class to the interior and exterior features of Aquarius. We'll run through scenarios today...and see how...
08/25/2023

Introducing the class to the interior and exterior features of Aquarius. We'll run through scenarios today...and see how they do!

Introduction to Saturation Diving summer class. Surface supplied diving familiarization and project construction in a co...
08/22/2023

Introduction to Saturation Diving summer class. Surface supplied diving familiarization and project construction in a controlled environment.

Taking our new Aquarius model for a spin at the Key Largo Community Preservation Foundation Earth Day event. Thank you t...
04/25/2023

Taking our new Aquarius model for a spin at the Key Largo Community Preservation Foundation Earth Day event. Thank you to Fiu Carta!!

Great story about Tektite and the all-women team of aquanauts.
04/05/2023

Great story about Tektite and the all-women team of aquanauts.

These scientists spent weeks underwater doing research—and convincing NASA women could also go into space.

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/look-jeremy-hansen-astronaut-destined-215247559.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3...
04/05/2023

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/look-jeremy-hansen-astronaut-destined-215247559.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAANcLY9FuPW-BEVslA0ZZYUtc6eS5yeoSaGsEWNyGjJA8vl-Vq81VajBnFMtNy6RyMFd-UxKb9OggFrZFxYYaqtrFOc6OPOmR4RPAbCmSXwBp7apfhv706B17eirMLnjrKA8YQBqMBsWmnpLV7HdI4CMRKsjyX6InZ2aybV2rnpwC

HOUSTON — A quick look at Col. Jeremy Hansen, the Canadian astronaut named Monday as a member of Artemis II, the first mission to the moon in more than half a century: Born: Jan. 27, 1976, in London, Ont. Education: Attended Royal Military College Saint-Jean in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que. Earne...

Day 5: Introduction to Saturation Diving. Students work through an emergency evacuation scenario. Upon leaving Aquarius,...
12/09/2022

Day 5: Introduction to Saturation Diving. Students work through an emergency evacuation scenario. Upon leaving Aquarius, 'aquanauts' were returned to the shore base via the Transportable Recompression Chamber System (TRCS) aboard the RV Bond. Once onshore, students entered the 72" recompression chamber.

Day 4: Introduction to Saturation Diving. Students get a firsthand review of Aquarius systems.
12/09/2022

Day 4: Introduction to Saturation Diving. Students get a firsthand review of Aquarius systems.

Day 3: Introduction to Saturation Diving. Students develop open water surface supplied diving skills.
12/09/2022

Day 3: Introduction to Saturation Diving. Students develop open water surface supplied diving skills.

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85932 Overseas Highway
Islamorada, FL
33036

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