Hydronaut H03 DeepLab

Hydronaut DeepLab is a research and training station designed for short / long-term stays of small groups underwater and on the surface.

The station was designed for a wide spectrum of research, ranging from the impact of isolation and extreme environment on human psychology to testing technology functioning under extreme conditions.

It enables on-demand simulated analog space missions in isolated, confined, and extreme environment (ICE):

underwater, on the surface, hybrid
including circadian rhythms shift
communication delay

Main features:

operational 24/7
habitable volume and surface area app. 10 m3 / 10 m2
environmental condition sensors
artificial light: different day / light cycles possible
daylight and infrared cameras for continuous monitoring
inner habitat power supply: 12 V
fully scalable: from a diving bell (empty habitat) to a fully equipped habitat within 24-hour window

Little Moon City Prague

At the end of August 2023, all the components of Hydronaut were transported from the flooded quarry in the village of Jesenný to the ČVUT campus in Prague's Dejvice district, where they were reassembled. Over the next two years, they will serve here for the purposes of so-called dry missions, i.e., simulations of space missions outside aquatic environments.

The new location on dry land will allow participation in training and utilization by individuals without diving training, especially benefiting local students in technical fields.

The combination of the Hydronaut H03 DeepLab, the Mission control center and the tent for possible EVA gave rise to the complex facility of LMCP (Little Moon City Prague).

On November 14th 2023, LMCP was unveiled to the public at the ČVUT campus in Prague. The inaugural ceremony was attended by the experienced Italian astronaut and aerospace engineer, Paolo Nespoli, who has participated in three spaceflights, accumulating a total duration of over 313 days in space.

Break new ground with us!

Our research and training facility is very versatile and ready to serve various purposes across the scientific, business and industrial fields. Our team of experts believe we can contribute to your progress, too.

Among other activities, we offer:

advancing a product's Technology Readiness Level (TRL) under some of Earth's most extreme conditions, encompassing pressure, temperature, and humidity
providing on-demand simulated analog space missions within an Isolated, Confined, and Extreme (ICE) environment, incorporating factors such as circadian rhythms shift and communication delays
developing a virtual fitness coach specifically designed for the challenges of an ICE environment
offering advanced personal development training in an ICE environment, focusing on skill enhancement and growth in challenging circumstances
developing a communication platform that enables team collaboration, encompassing features like crew monitoring, planning, data transfer, and storage

Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.

For now, we are still grounded on Earth with both feet...

References

The Hydronaut project was introduced to the international expert community for the first time at the Astronautical congress in Prague in 2010. The construction of the Hydronaut H03 DeepLab in Prague's Radotín began at the end of 2013. By the end of 2018, the laboratory had been installed beneath the surface of a flooded quarry in Jesenný.

Mission One (2020)

duration: 170 hours underwater in saturation (7 days)

Above the successful station functionality test and the performance of the research programs, the crew also broke the Czech record in underwater stay: 168 hours and 168 minutes.

Experiments

proof of concept (TRL9)
study of circadian rhythm in crew members

Mission 2: Science on Board (2021)

duration: 43.5 hours underwater in saturation

Experiments

monitoring of microbiological contamination of habitat
telemedicine: remote biomedical monitoring and diagnosis
various psychological experiments
effect of hypercapnia and cold on aquanauts' cognitive functions
monitoring of decompression stress

Mission 3: Diana III (2022)

duration: 167 hours underwater in saturation

Experiments

development of diagnostics for crew selection and monitoring during ICE exposure
monitoring of microbiological contamination of habitat
telemedicine: remote biomedical monitoring and diagnosis
effect of hypercapnia on aquanauts' cognitive functions
monitoring of decompression stress
comparative greenhouse experiment

Mission 04 (14. 9. 2023)

duration: 8-hour technological mission

Experiments

testing the functionality of the habitat while operating on the surface
monitoring the habitat environment
monitoring the life functions of the participants

Mission 05 (27. - 29. 9. 2023)

duration: 24-hour isolated mission

Experiments

testing the functionality of the habitat while operating on the surface while the crew was in complete isolation
monitoring the habitat environment
monitoring the life functions of the participants