Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory
Where do astronauts learn to spacewalk? Why is NASA’s water bill so high? It could be the 40ft deep giant pool of water?
*Photo — ITPro
This is pool holds a replica of the International Space Station. This is where two astronauts and 8 divers go under for hours at a time where they are balanced as close to zero gravity as possible. They work on the outside of the space station like it is real. It takes 45 minutes to suit up and then they get dropped into the pool on a yellow platform. While they are in the pool there is a team of medical professionals monitoring both of the astronauts and they breathe in a surface tank and cord system. They are active underwater for a long period of time doing a multitude of tasks. The pool gets recycled every 19.6 hours (nasa).
Simulation Control
The control areas in the NBL have training sims for anything spacewalk related. NASA says, “The NBL simulation control areas provide resources for all disciplines involved in the execution of spacewalk training sessions: facility operations, safety, communications, video support, medicine, suit technicians, support divers, crew training and technical observers.”
Remote Manipulator Systems
The full ISS is below the water line and is attached with two robotic arms that are the same as the ones in space. Each module on the space station has a replica in the pool to make practicing as real as possible.
Closed System
The astronauts operate on a closed television system to simulate talking in space. The divers and their own cameras send their feed to the surface for future training purposes and for the advisors to examine and help train the astronauts.
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