Aquanauts’ Coming Home

After 18 days underwater a group of astronauts and divers from the NEEMO 9 mission (NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations 9 mission) are ready to walk on dry ground. The team lived on the Aquarius undersea laboratory that sits about 67 feet (20 m) below the ocean just off Key Largo.

The mission involved remote surgeries that a surgeon in Canada performed with the help of specially made robotic pincers. Mehran Anvari, a veteran of telemedicine experiment with the past NEEMO crews, was able to stitch up a wound with no problem from his office in Hamilton, Ontario.

The astronauts also underwent some underwater training which they had to build a 20 foot structure that one day the astronauts may have to build on the moon to help with better communication. They made the simulation as if they were on the moon by wearing backpacks that simulated the gravity pull of the moon. NASA is convinced that this is an effective way to train astronauts for future space travels as well as an effective way for researcher to learn more about the ocean.

After this record breaking mission there are already plans to increase the size of the Aquarius for further expeditions.

After 18 days underwater a group of astronauts and divers from the NEEMO 9 mission (NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations 9 mission) are ready to walk on dry ground. The team lived on the Aquarius undersea laboratory that sits about 67 feet (20 m) below the ocean just off Key Largo.

The mission involved remote surgeries that a surgeon in Canada performed with the help of specially made robotic pincers. Mehran Anvari, a veteran of telemedicine experiment with the past NEEMO crews, was able to stitch up a wound with no problem from his office in Hamilton, Ontario.

The astronauts also underwent some underwater training which they had to build a 20 foot structure that one day the astronauts may have to build on the moon to help with better communication. They made the simulation as if they were on the moon by wearing backpacks that simulated the gravity pull of the moon. NASA is convinced that this is an effective way to train astronauts for future space travels as well as an effective way for researcher to learn more about the ocean.

After this record breaking mission there are already plans to increase the size of the Aquarius for further expeditions.