Unique Design of the New NOAA/USC Saturation Diving

Under a cooperative agreement, NOAA and the University of Southern California (USC) have designed, and are currently constructing an underwater habitat/saturation diving system as a national facility to provide extended time and depth capability to marine scientists. It is expected to be in operation in early 1986, and to be initially located at the USC Catalina Marine Science Center on Santa Catalina Island, 26 miles offshore from Los Angeles, CA. The state-of-the-art design of this system will enable scientists to perform in situ research in depths of 50 to 200 FSW in relative comfort, with up-to-date equipment, and with on-campus academic support.