Dr Deco
Contributor
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- I just don't log dives
Dear readers:
One of the readers of the Scuba Board asked about diving with nitrox in NASAs Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL). I thought that I might put this on the Dr Deco FORUM since it might be of interest to others. The NBL was constructed a few years ago to replace the Wet Environment Test Facility (WETF). The latter was too small for training involving the much larger components of the new International Space Station (ISS).
The new facility is about 50 feet deep and would pose a decompression hazard for the astronauts training there for periods of up to six hours. The original plan called for the use of air and an elaborate decompression facility. This was actually envisioned to be entered underwater. The problem with this lay in the cost, which was deemed to be prohibitive. An answer was found in nitrox, and a mix with 45% oxygen was chosen based on the time/depth requirements. While new hardware was required to plumb the facility, this was feasible and easy since the NBL was under construction.
This mix has eliminated all decompression problems although some have wondered if there might not be some pulmonary problems in the support divers who dive several times a week. These individuals assist the astronauts during their ISS training in the water. To date, no one has reported any pulmonary difficulties of which I am aware.
Dr Deco
:doctor:
One of the readers of the Scuba Board asked about diving with nitrox in NASAs Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL). I thought that I might put this on the Dr Deco FORUM since it might be of interest to others. The NBL was constructed a few years ago to replace the Wet Environment Test Facility (WETF). The latter was too small for training involving the much larger components of the new International Space Station (ISS).
The new facility is about 50 feet deep and would pose a decompression hazard for the astronauts training there for periods of up to six hours. The original plan called for the use of air and an elaborate decompression facility. This was actually envisioned to be entered underwater. The problem with this lay in the cost, which was deemed to be prohibitive. An answer was found in nitrox, and a mix with 45% oxygen was chosen based on the time/depth requirements. While new hardware was required to plumb the facility, this was feasible and easy since the NBL was under construction.
This mix has eliminated all decompression problems although some have wondered if there might not be some pulmonary problems in the support divers who dive several times a week. These individuals assist the astronauts during their ISS training in the water. To date, no one has reported any pulmonary difficulties of which I am aware.
Dr Deco
:doctor: