72 



THE NAVY OCEAN ENGINEERING PROGRAM 



UPPER ACCESS 



LABORATORY AREA 



DRY STORAGE AREA. 



WATER HEATER V 



SLEEPING AREA 



EQUIPM 

 STORAGE 



ENTRANCE ACCESS AREA 



Sealab III interior arrangement 



the aquanauts will wear two types of garments to protect them from the 

 cold, one a resistance-wire suit which resembles a form-fitting electric 

 blanket (an improved version of the suit tried in Sealab II), and the other a 

 tube suit which circulates warm water over the aquanaut's body. Both 

 suits will be powered by electricity from an umbilical linking the diver to 

 the habitat. However, a prototype isotope heating device worn by the 

 aquanaut will also be tested. The breathing gear worn by the aquanauts 

 will consist of the improved Mark VII equipment, which can use gas car- 

 ried in tanks by the aquanaut or pumped through the umbilical from the 

 habitat. 



The Sealab III habitat will be essentially the same as used in Sealab II, 

 with certain modifications. Most significant is the addition of two rooms, 

 each 8 ft by 12 ft, to the bottom of the habitat. The after room is a div- 

 ing station and the forward one an observation and storage compartment. 

 The main habitat is divided into a laboratory, galley, and bunkroom. The 

 additional rooms will provide more living and working space in the habitat 

 and remove the awkward work of putting on and removing scuba gear 

 from the main compartments. 



Sealab III wUl be logistically supported by the surface ship ELK 

 RIVER, especially configured to perform this type mission. ELK 

 RIVER wiU be fitted with two Deck Decompression Chambers and two 

 Personnel Transfer Capsules. 



