Hydronaut

Hydronaut H03 DeepLab

Hydronaut DeepLab is a research and training station designed for long-term stays of small groups of scuba divers underwater.

The station was designed for wide spectrum of research, ranging from the impact of isolation and extreme environment on human psychology to testing technology functioning under extreme pressure.

Thanks to its unique construction allowing the station to change its depth dynamically, its usability is exceptionally wide. It includes research and training programs, hyperbaric medicinal and psychological research, development and testing of technology, IRS, special army units or space agencies training.

Hydronatu DeepLab functions independently, but it can also be a part of comprehensive structures, such as our base camp in the Jesenný quarry, where the station is connected to the surface fleet, control centre and logistic base.

The Hydronaut project was accepted to the ESA BIC incubator program in 2020.

Control Tower

Our control centre offers base for execution of research and training programs – monitoring of the crew, base and individual modules, continuous data gathering, server for remote access to data and control of some technological elements, equipment for documentation and communication with remote workplaces.

By making a few simple changes in the setting, we can set the whole system for technology testing, simple research or complex programs of individual team missions – whether it is a rescue mission training or realistic simulation of space missions.

Surface Unit

The station and essential base for the crew leader also serves as external control of the H03 DeepLab station. The crew leader controls particularly positioning of the station, LifePod decompression module and life support systems. According to specific parameters of the mission, the crew can be completely isolated from the control centre and support teams for a certain time period.

Station Equipment

The module is equipped with cutting-edge available technology for environmental control, communication and data gathering. Some functions are only possible thanks to unique systems or even prototypes. These include both station control elements and technology that is being tested by our R&D partners.

The station is ready also for independent work outside the base. It can be used without the surface unit, even though only for a limited period of time. It is equipped with standardized interfaces for connection to systems of our potential partners – supply of air, energy, and data exchange.

For safety, economic and ecological reasons, the control system is set to 12 V. This rule applies also to systems provided by our partners. In case of extensive number of connected systems, our systems can be set to 24 V.

H03 DeepLab is unique both due to its structure, but also due to its functionality. Globally, it ranges among the best-equipped and most modern systems.

Station and Mission Control Software

The station is equipped with wide range of sensors controlled by Common Tongue – our own board system. Thanks to Common Togue, we can monitor our crew 24/7, communicate with them, plan their program and have access to data on everything that is happening under the surface.

The design of our board system allows for implementation of any other parameter needed for any specific research.

Missions

Research and training programs are executed as part of missions that are limited in time. Due to the high number of our partner subjects and demanding nature of organization the missions are planned well in advance. The program combines the requirements of our partners and optimizes common use of our backbone technology.

Mission One

10-day Mission One in 2020 was a stress test of the H03 DeepLab station as well as combination of partner scientific programs. These included ICE research studying the impact of stays in isolated and confined environment on the psychology of the individuals and the group dynamics. This research serves for cosmic missions or scientific and other projects at extreme and isolated places. The program structure was designed following some NASA-planned missions, for instance Asteroid Redirect or Artemis.

During Mission One, the crew and the support team performed a number of partner tests and research projects, for instance research of humidity condensation in various pressures and temperatures for the CTU. CTU is also involved in the system of our sensors, which are part of the board computer system.

Above the successful station functionality test and the performance of the research programs, the crew also broke the Czech record in underwater stay – 168 hours and 168 minutes.