Word: sealab
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Dates: during 1960-1969
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Near San Clemente Island off the California coast, the Navy's trouble-plagued "yellow submarine," Sealab 3, was lowered 610 ft. to the floor of the continental shelf. Then instruments indicated a helium leak in the still-unoccupied deep-sea habitat, and Aquanaut Berry L. Cannon, 33, and two companions were sent below to make repairs. They descended to the 610-ft. level in a pressurized personnel transfer capsule (PTC) and were opening a hatch to enter Sealab when Navy officers watching a TV monitor on the surface saw Cannon begin to thrash about. "I saw his body jackknifing...
Series of Leaks. Late in the week a Navy investigation revealed that "one of the diving rigs in use by Sealab divers was equipped with an empty Bar-alyme canister." Without the Baralyme, which absorbs carbon dioxide exhaled by the diver, the gas builds up in the system and can eventually cause suffocation. "This could explain the tragic event," said a Navy spokesman, and indeed, an autopsy revealed "a greatly excessive" amount of carbon dioxide in Cannon's blood. Navy officials ordered a halt to all diving. Sealab 3, still leaking helium, was brought to the surface and lifted...
...tragedy marked still another lengthy setback for the Sealab project, which is already about two years behind schedule. Designed to help man learn the techniques and develop the equipment that will enable him to live and work for long periods under the sea, the project has been beset by delays. First there was a steel strike; then some of the steel that was delivered turned unexpectedly brittle at low temperatures. Redesign of the oxygen system was called for after the fatal Apollo fire, and that was followed by a series of seawater and helium leaks. At week...
After descending significantly farther than their Sealab colleagues - living at a depth of 330 ft. and working even deeper - the six oceanauts of Con Shelf III had to remain in their two-story sphere four days after surfacing while the pressure in the cabin was slowly lowered. It was clear that Cousteau had reason to be elated. Never before had men survived so long at such depths. Moreover, they showed no signs of weakness or sickness, and had managed to do their assigned jobs efficiently...
...will take months to evaluate many of the scientific experiments of both Con Shelf and Sealab. As in the past, the men of Con Shelf will compare notes with the men of Sealab, setting an example of friendly scientific cooperation between nations...