Living Beneath The Waves: The Deep Project

A groundbreaking facility near Wales is testing underwater ‘sentinels’ designed for 28-day missions beneath the sea—and possibly permanent human habitation on the ocean floor.

Hiding in plain sight near the Welsh border, an ambitious engineering project is overhauling a disused limestone quarry to become a world first: an underwater habitat testing facility with the power to help aspiring aquanaut crews survive their submergence. This project, called Deep, is a big step forward in technology for underwater habitation and marine science capabilities.

Backed by a private investor who has pledged hundreds of millions of pounds, Deep seeks to create permanent human outposts below the ocean surface. The focus of this project: advancing our knowledge of ocean ecosystems, with a view to better solutions for sustainable living underwater.

Its main components, known as “sentinels,” are a series of complex underwater habitation units intended to function at depths of up to 200 meters (656 feet). These units will operate at the edge of the ocean’s sunlight zone, offering unmatched accessibility to deep-sea ecosystems for long-duration scientific missions.

Each sentinel features:

A recreational space with a six-meter diameter hemisphere
Several observation ports for monitoring marine life
Six standalone quarters
Full-service kitchen equipment
Advanced plumbing systems
Dedicated research spaces

Daine claims after the Titan submersible incident in 2023, Deep has enforced strict safety protocols. The project works in close partnership with Det Norske Veritas (DNV), a world-class classification and safety agency, to conduct in-depth testing and certification throughout all stages of design and manufacture. The units employ custom steel alloys designed to withstand high pressures at operating depths.

Early missions will facilitate underwater deployments lasting 28 days, but periods are expected to be substantially longer. The satellite units are modular and can be sent to multiple regions, meaning multi-national bases could be created — and perhaps even permanent underwater housing.

The project has created sophisticated life support systems, including pioneering a culinary program that tackles the unique challenges of taste perception at depth. Chef Joe Costa and the nutrition team devised a specialized menu that accounted for:

Changing taste perception under pressure
Higher metabolic requirements in aquatic ecosystems
Diet for deep diving
Practical considerations for food storage and availability

Led by Dawn Kernagis, an accomplished scientist with prior experience running NASA’s NEEMO program, Deep will open up incredible new avenues for marine study. The project enables:

Long-term in-situ monitoring of marine ecosystems
Human physiological studies at depth
Monitoring the environment long-term
Field study of twilight zone marine species

In short, the Deep project marks an major step forward in underwater living technology. This development significantly expands the potential for human exploration, allowing for long-term observation and interaction with deep-ocean ecosystems, which can inform sustainable management of deep-sea resources and conservation efforts. Unlike any previous underwater habitat, the project’s ability to be deployed aboard a submersible ship will provide unprecedented flexibility in support of global marine research operations.

The project represents a crucial change in marine exploration strategy and proposes humans’ future exploration may candidly not await amoung the cosmos, but instead in the largely uncharted territories of Earth’s oceans. If the project succeeds, it could pave the way for permanent human habitation on the sea floor and open a new frontier for marine research and the harvesting of deep-sea assets.

(Source: The Guardian | Cover Photo: Deep)