Accession Number:

AD0652374

Title:

AN EXPERIMENTAL 45-DAY UNDERSEA SATURATION DIVE AT 205 FEET. SEALAB 2 PROJECT GROUP

Descriptive Note:

Summary rept.

Corporate Author:

OFFICE OF NAVAL RESEARCH ARLINGTON VA

Personal Author(s):

• Pauli, D. C.
• Clapper, G. P.

Report Date:

1967-03-08

Pagination or Media Count:

431.0

Abstract:

The Sealab II operation was conducted between Aug. 28 to Oct. 14, 1965, 300 ft off Scripps Pier at La Jolla, California, in a depth of water of 205 ft. Using a synthetic breathing gas of helium, oxygen, and nitrogen, each of the three aquanaut teams lived under pressure approximately 15 days in an ocean-floor habitat, making forays into the 48F, 5 to 30 ft visibility bottom waters for periods ranging from a few minutes to an extended dive of 3 hours. Excursion no-decompression dives to 266 ft and 300 ft were accomplished. Diving from the habitat was accomplished using both semiclosed-circuit breathing apparatus and hookah habitat-connected-hose breathing apparatus. A decompression complex new to the Navy consisting of a personnel transfer capsule mating with a deck decompression chamber was used for accomplishing recovery and decompression of aquanauts. Sealab II demonstrated that 1 The concept of ocean-floor habitation to accomplish a wide range of salvage and scientific tasks is compatible with mans ability to perform useful work at these depths. 2 No significant short-time physiological changes occur which resulted in deterioration of the aquanauts physical condition. 3 There is a degradation of human performance which increases with the complexity of the task being accomplished.

Descriptors:

• *DIVING
• *LABORATORIES
• *OCEAN BOTTOM
• *UNDERWATER EQUIPMENT
• CONTINENTAL SHELVES
• DECOMPRESSION
• HUMAN FACTORS ENGINEERING
• LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS
• NAVAL PERSONNEL
• NAVAL RESEARCH
• OCEANOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT
• OCEANOGRAPHY
• PSYCHOLOGY
• SALVAGE
• STRESS(PHYSIOLOGY)
• TOLERANCES(PHYSIOLOGY)
• UNDERWATER

Subject Categories:

• Anatomy and Physiology
• Marine Engineering
• Test Facilities, Equipment and Methods

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE