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| | NASA Continues Space Exploration Research With Undersea Lab
 Image above: NEEMO 11 crew members and habitat technicians take a moment to pose for a group photo inside their undersea habitat for the NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) project. Image credit: NASA
NASA's third mission this year to an undersea laboratory off the Florida coast began when four astronauts splashed down Sept. 16.
+ Read the Sept. 1 press release
Veteran space flyer astronaut Sandra H. Magnus led the crew on a seven-day undersea mission Sept. 16 - 22 onboard the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Aquarius underwater laboratory. Army Lt. Col. Timothy L. Kopra, Army Col. Timothy J. Creamer and Air Force Maj. Robert L. Behnken rounded out the astronaut crew. Roger Garcia and Larry Ward of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington provided engineering support inside the habitat. All four astronauts were training for possible assignment to missions to the International Space Station.
+ Read the NEEMO 11 crew's journal
During the NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) 11, astronauts imitated moonwalks, tested concepts for mobility using various spacesuit configurations and weights to simulate lunar gravity. Techniques for communication, navigation, geological sample retrieval, construction and using remote-controlled robots on the moon's surface also were tested.
Through NASA's Digital Learning Network (DLN), classrooms were able to videoconference with Aquarius. Students also conducted experiments of their own before talking with the aquanauts.
+ NASA Digital Learning Network
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| Sandra Magnus
A veteran space-flyer, astronaut Sandra Magnus will lead the crew of NEEMO 11 on a seven-day, undersea mission.
+ View biography
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| Timothy Kopra
Selected as a mission specialist astronaut by NASA in July 2000, Tim Kopra has extensive experience as an Army aviator and experimental test pilot.
+ View biography
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| Timothy J. Creamer
Selected as an astronaut in June 1998, T.J. Creamer works in the Robotics Branch and was the real-time support astronaut lead for Expedition 12’s robotics operations.
+ View biography
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| Robert Behnken
Behnken, who has logged over 780 flight hours in more than 25 different aircraft, was selected as an astronaut by NASA in July 2000.
+ View biography
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| Roger Garcia and Larry Ward
Engineering support for the mission will be provided by Roger Garcia and Larry Ward of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
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| | NEEMO 11 Mission Journal Number 7
"The six of us bonded as a team and will cherish the photographs from this mission, reminding us of the special time we spent down here under the sea."
+ Read More | |
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| | NEEMO 11 Mission Journal Number 6
"Today we began the journey back to the surface and to dry land."
+ Read More | |
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| | NEEMO 11 Mission Journal Number 5
"Just like the feeling of floating in space, it is hard to describe what it feels like to walk around on the bottom of the ocean."
+ Read More | |
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| | NEEMO 11 Mission Journal Number 4
"The dive was very successful and we were happy with how much we were able to do and the topside team got a lot of good information about construction in extreme environments."
+ Read More | |
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| | NEEMO 11 Mission Journal Number 3
"During the second dive of the day, the team finished construction of the LunaSea base and located a suitable location for tomorrow's final construction task."
+ Read More | |
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| | NEEMO 11 Mission Journal Number 2
"It was really interesting to see how just the weight distribution for this simulated space suit could dramatically change how difficult or easy it was to do different activities."
+ Read More | |
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| | NEEMO 11 Mission Journal Number 1
"We dove off the boat and descended through the clear blue water to the habitat."
+ Read More | |
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| | NEEMO 11 Pre-Mission Journal
"The number of fish just swimming around the structure was amazing and included very large goliath grouper!"
+ Read More | |
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