U.S. Navy Sealab Program

Engineers and scientists from the U.S. Navy Mine Defense Laboratory researched how to live safely at the bottom of the sea, with safety as the paramount concern. The staff designed primary and breathing gases, communication with topside support, safe and adequate electricity, refrigeration to keep food fresh, equipment to prepare food, lighting within and outside the habitat, sleeping quarters and an eating area, a safe area from deep sea predators, and a method to safely return men whose bodies were saturated with nitrogen to the surface. The habitat was fabricated from two large steel floats. Tom Odum served as project manager, and Ollie Kirkpatrick, Bill McCrory, Raymond Casler, and Ray Bentz were part of the front team.

Panama City Beach, Florida · United States