Location Greece

HCMR and Cabrito Consulting have signed an MOU to develop a manned Underwater Research Station in Greece – Calamar Park Project

Greece was our favoured location from the very beginning. We are now delighted to have reached an agreement with the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR) to develop and deploy the European Underwater Research Station off the Greek islands.

The purpose-built concept of the facility is guided by numerous interdisciplinary inputs from potential users and the form-follows-function principle. It is intended to become the central contact point for all types of applications that require a prolonged human presence on the seafloor. The station pursues a non-invasive approach with the highest possible mobility, versatility and cost efficiency.

For partnerships and opportunities, please contact Frank Scharmann

Undersea Station: Data Processing

(Updated 15.01.2021 – complete re-edit of chapter; updated concept map) The Digital Data Processing of the station will be of major importance. Beside the conventional functions of the IT systems we should use the opportunity to establish a completely new approach concerning the User Interface (UI) and the system’s interaction with the aquanauts.

Habitat Entrance

The moonpool of habitat Hydrolab
Moonpool of Hydrolab

(Updated 29.11.2020; re-edit of the hatches chapter) Surely one of the most complicated area of an underwater structure for human occupation is the habitat entrance. It is the local water-air interface, vulnerable to changes in pressure by tidal movements on the surface of the sea; its hatches have to bare potential pressure differences between the habitat interior and the surrounding water; no object that is only a little bigger than the greatest diameter of the entrance can be brought into the habitat. It is constantly wet and humid and the only gateway for medical assistance. We divided it into the following sections:

  • Trunk
  • Underwater Acess Space
  • External Hatches
  • Moonpool
  • Wet Room
  • Other General Considerations

Our extensive analysis and proposals are part of the design manual.

Internal Doors and Hatches

This section describes the necessary design of internal doors in an underwater habitat. Doors separate functional areas or modules of the habitat. This chapter was divided into the following sections:

  • Types of hatch or door and its use
  • Opening size and shape of hatch or doorway
  • Operations
  • Location

Our extensive analysis and proposals are part of the design manual.

Housekeeping

Housekeeping in an underwater habitat is a crucial part of habitability. It plays a primary role in maintaining the cleanliness of the habitat and thus the crew’s health and safety, which will consequently boost their morale, comfort, and productivity.

This chapter is divided into the following sections:

  • General Considerations
  • Habitat Specific Risk Areas
  • Contamination Sources
  • Housekeeping Tools
  • Housekeeping Minimization through System Design
  • Past and Present Housekeeping in On-Orbit Operations

Our extensive analysis and proposals are part of the design manual.

Entry image: Rlistmedia, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

 

Recreation

Scene from Aquarius Habitat(updated 15.09.2020: added adaptations from the NASA Human Integration Handbook) Recreation is an important consideration for maintaining high morale, psychological and physiological health in an underwater habitat, especially for long durations. This section provides guidelines for recreational activities.

Our extensive analysis and proposals are part of the design manual.

Stowage & Inventory Management

This section discusses design considerations for the layout and design of stowage systems inside an underwater habitat. It also provides the characteristics of a successful onboard inventory management system design. Such a system can track the quantity, location, and status (e.g., remaining useful life) of inventory items. The inventory management function is one of the primary elements of onboard information management.

This chapter is divided into the following sections:

  • General Considerations
  • Type & Locations
  • Nonstandard Stowage
  • Habitat Resupply
  • Flexibility
  • Central Storage vs. Distributed Storage
  • Operability
  • Accessibility
  • Interference
  • Labelling
  • Inventory Management

Our extensive analysis and proposals are part of the design manual.

[Image: FORTEPAN / Lissák Tivadar / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)]


Note: This article contains adaptations from the NASA Human Integration Handbook (HIDH), NASA/SP-2010-3407. Since supplementary transports are not comparable to spaceflight, many considerations do not apply to underwater operations and therefore had been skipped.

Mooring

A Scour Hole (image from Wikimedia Commons, licence USGS / Public domain)

This chapter collects information on mooring of an underwater station, potential difficulties and solutions. Continue reading “Mooring”