Altantis II Project Press Section
For Technical Release
11/28/01
The Atlantis II habitat shall be located in the Edmond Vent Field System in the Indian Ocean. At the site, the Atlantis II researchers - termed "aquanauts" - intend to perform many experiments to learn more about this little known area and its surrounding ecosystem. Researchers living in the habitat will have many tools, both within and outside of the station, at their disposal.
The primary tool is the station itself. The design on Atlantis II maximizes internal usable space while maintaining the structural integrity needed to withstand the great pressures that are present at the 5000 m depth. Inside the Atlantis II habitat shall be two state-of-the-art laboratories. One lab will study the geothermal activity that abounds at the vent system, while the other lab will focus mainly on the organisms located in and around the vent system. The labs are filled with enough equipment to perform all necessary experiments in the Atlantis habitat, and then some. No trips to the surface will be needed to help perform the experiments.
The laboratories in Atlantis will be some of the most sophisticated on Earth. However, the pride of Atlantis II will be its extensive fleet of robotic and manned vehicles. Because very little research has been done before at this depth, the technology needed to do so was scarce or nonexistent. The Atlantis II creators have had to design totally new automated underwater vehicles (AUVs), remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), and manned ships to help complete the needed tasks. These three kinds of ships will all be available to be used at a moment's notice for the researchers who will work in the habitat. The AUVs and ROVs will be used to perform tasks outside the habitat such as placing sensors and taking numerous readings, while the manned ship will be used for more detailed studies of the surrounding vent field as it will allow direct observation by the scientists.
All of Atlantis will be connected through an extensive communication system. It will connect the station to all its ships but also to the surface. Atlantis labs will have live feeds to the surface that will help spread this knowledge and research all over the world instantaneously.
Researchers are excited to get a chance to study this relatively unexplored
field. With the above-mentioned tools at their disposal, they will perform many
experiments that will contribute to a wide range of knowledge concerning the
geothermal activity, plate tectonics, and biology of this unique vent floor
environment.
For additional information, please contact :
Atlantis2@mit.edu
©2001 Altantis II Project