Mission & Project Info | NOAA’s Aquarius Undersea Laboratory
Mission Blog

The 12th NEEMO mission to date ended today with “splashup” at ~ 8:45 am, concluding another safe and successful mission. Another ambitious mission was accomplished, the crew is healthy, and we are another step closer to successfully returning people to explore the lunar surface.

Yesterday the NEEMO and ISS crews were able to conduct a ship-to-ship video linkup. Former NEEMO 2 crewmember Suni Williams is currently on the ISS and was able to participate. Going back to Expedition 13/Jeff Williams, we have what promises to be an unbroken string of NEEMO alumni on the ISS for as far out as crews are assigned, with NEEMO 5 alum Clay Anderson up next.

We want to take this opportunity to thank our hosts here at the National Undersea Research Center. They have helped forge a solid partnership between NASA and NOAA to the benefit of both agencies. Their professionalism and commitment to safety is second to none. They take great care of the nation’s only undersea research facility, they keep a close eye on our crewmembers, and they take great care of our Topside team and visitors. So to the habitat technicians, James Talacek and Dominic Landucci: a hearty “thank you” for teaching our crewmembers how to live as aquanauts. To Mark Hulsbeck and Ross Hein, thanks for the training you contributed prior to the mission. To Craig Cooper and Jim Buckley, thanks for managing this (and all) NEEMO mission so professionally. This is the only undersea research facility in the world because you guys ensure that it can be safe and operational every day of the year. And for the rest of the Aquarius staff who potted daily, manned the watchdesk 24/7, and did it all with a smile, we can’t thank you enough. Finally, special and sincere thanks to Tim Roberts for being our host and boat captain for the last 3 weeks. It wouldn’t have been possible without you all.

We can’t properly thank everyone who had a hand in making this mission successful, but a few key entities should be noted:

• The University of Cincinnati Center for Surgical Innovation and US Army TATRC, for contributing the funding and telesurgery objectives;
• JSC’s Space and Life Sciences Directorate, along with the NSBRI for contributing to the funding, life sciences objectives, and crewmember;
• The University of Washington, SRI International, and HaiVision for the robotic and communications equipment;
• JSC’s Mission Ops Directorate, for the majority of the manpower that makes this both an environmental and a mission analog;
• JSC’s Flight Crew Ops Directorate, for the manpower, support, and part of the crew;
• Dr. Mike Gernhardt, Kevin Rullman, Jennifer Jadwick, Nick Skytland and Mary Sue Bell for the preparatory work on so many of the exploration objectives we accomplished;
• Previous NEEMO crews who helped pave the way; and
• The families and friends of all of us who’ve been away so long making this mission a success. We appreciate your sacrifices!

Thanks for your support and following along!

- NEEMO 12 Topside Team out