Section Il. Manned Undersea Platforms 
INTRODUCTION 
In developing the study, undersea platforms were 
originally defined as existing submersibles and hab- 
itats available for operations or held in such con- 
dition that reactivation was feasible. Primary em- 
phasis was placed on those systems available for 
lease or otherwise not fully committed to the spon- 
sor’s or owner’s missions. A further stipulation was 
that to be considered, a system had to be certified 
by either the Navy or the American Bureau of 
Shipping (or capable of being certified) and that it 
be U.S. owned. 
During the study it became obvious that there 
was another type of platform—a support ship for 
scuba divers—as implied by responses to the ICMSE 
survey, by the University of New Hampshire study, 
and by the output of the National Academies of Sci- 
ences and Engineering Manned Undersea Activities 
Workshop. The closest to this is now the R/V 
MISS FREEPORT, operated by the Marine Bio- 
medical Institute of the University of Texas. 
HABITATS 
Table 1 summarizes the characteristics of the eight 
existing U.S. habitats, and table 2 their present status. 
Only one is in active use,’ the Perry Foundation’s 
HYDROLAB now at Freeport, Bahamas. The Puerto 
Rico Undersea Research and Development Company 
(PRURDC) and the Marine Resources Development 
Foundation’s (MRDF) PRINUL* became operation- 
al during late 1972. PRINUL is a state-of-the-art 
platform which is more of an undersea laboratory 
than a living quarters-type habitat. Built by Perry 
Submarine Builders, the laboratory corrects many 
° As of October 20, 1972. 
* Though the actual habitat of the PRINUL program 
is called LA CHALUPA, the term PRINUL is used here- 
after for the habitat. 
Table 1. Characteristics of U.S. habitats 
Name Owner Depth Personnel Life support Breath- Comfort control 
ing gas 
Present Emer- 
Personnel use Capability Typical Maximum gency Heat Cool Humidity 
Ft Ft Days Days Days 
AEGIR Makai Range ................ 50-500 580 4-6 14 20 1 Mix Yes No Yes 
EDALHAB University of 42 50 2-3 Tf Y — Ajr Yes No No 
New Hampshire. 
HYDROLAB Perry Foundation .. 42 100 3-4 7 7 3 Air No Yes Yes 
LAKELAB University of 30 — 2 — — — Ajr No No No 
Michigan. 
PRINUL PRURDC & MRDF* 50 100 4 14 14 2 Air No No Yes 
PORTALAB University of 30 a 2 — — — Ajr No No No 
Rhode Island. 
SEALAB | WES SINAVV ence eee: — 200 4 ila — — Mix —_ —_— —_— 
TEKTITE General Electric . 50 100 45 1428 60 3 Mix No Yes Yes 
*PRURDC: Puerto Rican Undersea Research and Development Company. 
MRDF: Marine Resources Development Foundation. 
