Ryan Van Duren asks: My name is Ryan. I am in the 4th grade. I would like to know, how do you get energy to your station?
Hi Ryan
Right now we have a diesel generator on the Life Support Buoy that sits on the ocean surface over the Aquarius habitat and provides power to the station through an umbilical cable. In the future we hope to work with innovative alternative energy experts to find other ways to provide power to the undersea laboratory.
Thanks for your question.
Dr. Ellen Prager
Science Advisor, Aquarius Reef Base
The documentary Acid Test: The Global Challenge of Ocean Acidification is an incredible film about the growing problem of ocean acidification. Watch the short film below or in HD on YouTube.
Karl Deigert asks: Will the “Real Time” data be active soon?. The data on the site now is old. Would be very useful to have this information.
Dear Karl,
Unfortunately, we have had an equipment failure and the instrumentation is back in the shop being repaired, which takes way longer than we would all like. We are collecting data, but it is in record mode instead of live and will be available upon request. We hope to have the “real time” link up in the next several weeks.
Thank you for the inquiry, this is one of the frustrating parts of working in a hostile environment with sophisticated instrumentation.
Pete Berardi asks: Howdy! Can you tell me who built Aquarius?
Dear Pete,
Aquarius was built in 1986 by Victoria Machine Works in Victoria, Texas. The original engineering and design work was done by Perry Oceanographic, Inc.
Craig Cooper
Operations Director, Aquarius Reef Base
Moriah asks: How do the scientists get food from the surface to Aquarius?
Dear Moriah,
Our expert staff divers bring the food down to aquarius in special water-tight pressure pots. Everything that needs to stay dry goes down in these pots. Before a mission the staff stocks the habitat with most of the food needed. The aquanauts use dehydrated food mainly, just add hot water and they are ready to eat. Very much like what astronauts eat.
Thanks for the question!
Dr. Ellen Prager
Science Advisor, Aquarius Reef Base