Manned Operations
	Introducing EVE Hull Design Exostructure Power Propulsion Docking Ballast Sensors & Sampling Manipulators Life Support Navigation Communication Viewing Systems Control Systems ROV

Sensors and Sampling

We shall install sensors on EVE so as to satisfy the requirements of biological and geological research that is the purpose of the mission. All sensors shall be embedded in the exostructure to enable them to record the necessary measurements. Although much of the monitoring of the vent’s environmental factors like temperature and pH will be continuously performed by a network of semi-permanent sensors installed on the sea floor, this does not eliminated the need for certain sensors on EVE. For example, we might need to measure the temperature at the mouth of a black smoker, and then, the sensor network would not be able to help us. Thus, all possible sensors will be put on EVE and we shall make it possible that additional sensors be added later on. The sensors that will initially be on installed are the following:

• Thermometer.
  

• pH meter.
  

• Salinity meter.
  

• Pressure sensor.
  

• Conductivity sensor.
  

• Fluorometer.
  

• Bioluminescence sensor.
  

• Dissolved oxygen sensor.
  

• 3-axis current velocity meter.
  

• Turbidity sensor.
  

• 3-axis magnetometer.
  

• Radioactivity probe.
  

• Transmissometer.
  

Each of these sensors will be attached to a specially designed handle and should be manufactured so that it can fit into one of the 30 slots that will be part of the exostructure. The purpose of having uniform ‘handle’ design is so enable manipulators to pick up any sensor and from its slot and use it to make the required measurement.

In addition to making measurements, we also need to collect samples of water, soil and living organisms.

To do this, we shall use the following instrumentation:

• Water sampling bottles.
  
• A vacuum machine that is able to suck up reasonably sized living organisms (as long as they can pass through the hose which has a 10cm diameter) and soil samples into the sample box. The sample box is a closed container that is attached to the back end of the submersible. The vacuum machine’s hose will be attached to one of the manipulators, so that it can be moved into any position that is required. After positioning the hose, the suction begins and collected samples are sucked into the sample box. The sample box can be detached from the EVE. Therefore, upon return to the habitat, the box is dropped on the seafloor, and robotic vehicles are responsible for carrying the box into the habitat’s internal docking sphere. Then, the box is taken to the labs where its contents are analyzed.