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DEEP’s new 465-ton habitat could change how scientists study coral reefs

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DEEP’s new 465-ton habitat could change how scientists study coral reefs

DEEP, an international ocean engineering company, has announced that its pilot human habitat, Vanguard, is now installed on the ocean floor at Florida’s Tennessee Reef. This achievement is a major step forward for underwater research and is the first new subsea human  habitat to be built and deployed in 40 years.

Vanguard sits 56 feet (17 meters) underwater, with space for up to four aquanauts to stay for research missions of five days or longer. Living on the ocean floor gives scientists much more time to study coral reefs and see how marine ecosystems are reacting to climate change.

For DEEP, Vanguard is just the beginning. The company hopes to develop larger, modular subsea habitats that will allow for longer and deeper missions in the future.

Getting Vanguard into position required a carefully coordinated marine operation. The team first secured a  foundation to the ocean floor, then lowered the habitat onto it. A surface support buoy was then tethered nearby to complete the system.

The whole setup, with its foundation, ballast, and habitat, weighs about 465 tons. It covers an area of about 46 feet (14 meters) by 39 feet (12 meters).

The habitat is 35 feet (10.7 meters) long and 8 feet (2.5 meters) wide. Inside, there are bunks for four people, a shared living space, and systems to support life underwater.

Vanguard has a dive center with a moonpool that allows divers to enter and exit using scuba gear, rebreathers, or hard-hat equipment. There are also backup power and breathing gas systems to support the evacuation of a crew in an emergency.


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