Then take our IPIX virtual tour . The special diving capability of Aquarius , called saturation diving , allows scientists to work out on the reef up to nine hours a day without fear of getting the bends, compared to one hour if they had to work from the surface. See the pressure lesson for more details. Increased research time on-bottom is the key element that enhances scientific productivity beneath the sea. The support personnel of the National Undersea Research Center at UNCW enhance program productivity through diver training, and scientific and operational expertise.
Safety is a hallmark of the program.
However, a 10 day Aquarius mission would take more than 60 days if conducted using surface-based technology, and few scientists have the time to spend months in the field, when a 10 day Aquarius mission can be used to accomplish the same goals. Additionally, Aquarius provides significant media access and public outreach capabilities that are not possible in conventional dive operations, and while the program's science mission is paramount these other activities are valuable too. The Length of an Aquarius Mission Aquarius missions typically last 10 days. We conduct shorter missions at the start of the year for training and to test systems. The longest missions in Aquarius are 14 days, but this doesn't happen too often.