NASA divers

[bcsean]

Believe it or not the record for men's dynamic apnea (breath-hold swim) is 200 meters, female record is 158meters. I pride myself on 127.

Out of curiosity, what exactly does this entail? Any equipment? Swimming on surface, or underwater? Back when I was swimming I could do about 75m underwater, but that was about it. I'm sure a bit of freediving training would help a ton on being more efficient, but still.

 

[freediver]

Out of curiosity, what exactly does this entail? Any equipment? Swimming on surface, or underwater? Back when I was swimming I could do about 75m underwater, but that was about it. I'm sure a bit of freediving training would help a ton on being more efficient, but still.

There are 2 categories of dynamic apnea, with and without fins. Diver must submerge about a meter underwater and is not allowed a push off or wall assist. Fins are usually the extremely long (3 foot blade lengths aren't uncommon) variety. There are also categories of dynamic apnea in pool, fresh and salt water. If ever in east Texas, look me up. I teach freedive clinics.

 

[jayrobb]

If you are asking about the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, the support divers are not employed by NASA. The are employed by a company called Oceaneering Space Systems, which is a division of Oceaneering. (www.oceaneering.com). If you go to their web site and search the press release archives, you can download the announcement that they were awarded the subcontract. The press release is dated April, 16, 2003. I believe (and could be wrong, as I didn't reread the announcement) it is a five year contract. Starting pay is $15-18 an hour. Not worth it if you ask me...they have had divers take "minor" hits of DCS at the NBL. From what I have gathered, most of the divers have advanced certifications (i.e. instructor) but not all.

 

[Rick Inman]

5. Demonstrate neutral bouyancy from -500

Need helium mix.

 

[mike_s]

Isn't one of those the one they use for NASA Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama?

Yes... There are (or were) two different tanks in Huntsville.
One was the orignal Neutal Bouyancy Simulator off Rideout Road in the MSFC complex. I think it might have been dissasembled. They don't use this for any space camp purposes, but it was used for astronaut training, or was at one time.

The other is at the Space & Rocket Center, which Space Camp is co-located in that facility. It's much smaller. It was still a neat dive to do.

 

[Eris Lucan7*]

The DLR(Germans space adminstration) provides a training center for ther astronauts near Colonge in germany,that is is in a medium use and open or the puplik(they cetificate Padis there) wail the most astronauts are already scoold from ther Airfoce and Marinecorps there.CNES (Frensh space Agrncy) also own a spacetrainigcenter.......