The Cornish company developing the world’s deepest indoor pool has announced a partnership with NASA that could help astronauts train for missions to the Moon and Mars.
Blue Abyss has signed a Space Act Agreement with NASA’s Glenn Research Center that it says will “ bolster the development of next-generation infrastructure and capabilities for human spaceflight, astronaut training, and the simulation of extreme environments”.
The agreement will see NASA and Blue Abyss work together to work on research and training to address challenges faced by astronauts in environments from low-earth orbits to the surfaces of the Moon and Mars.
Blue Abyss specialises in extreme environment research, training, and development. Its operations are designed to help people and companies operating in settings from underwater to space.
It is planning to build a £150m pool in Cornwall to be used for training and research, which will be 50m deep and will be the deepest indoor pool of its type in the world. Blue Abyss is currently developing a research centre in Cleveland, Ohio, near NASA’s Glenn Research Center.
Work under the new partnership will include carrying out research on human performance, robotics, and scientific experiments under “extreme gravity conditions”.
The organisations will also work on understanding what facilities are needed to help simulate conditions in space – potentially including underwater training, parabolic flights that create zero-gravity conditions, and augmented reality technology.
NASA will provide technical support and share insights from its decades of work in space, as Blue Abyss works to develop its own commercial facilities and services for astronaut selection and training.
The initial phase of the partnership will see Blue Abyss carry out a study of the market to understand the need for infrastructure over the next decade. Those results will be shared with NASA so the agency can better understand what commercial capabillities it will be able to use in future.
John Vickers, chief executive officer at Blue Abyss, said: “This Space Act Agreement with NASA’s Glenn Research Center represents a pivotal milestone for Blue Abyss. As we develop next-generation infrastructure, including our proposed facilities in the US and UK, it helps position the UK as a significant player in the space sector, supporting industry growth, consultancy, training, and infrastructure development that will attract international clients and foster innovation within the UK space industry.”
Ross Hulbert, head of engagement at Spaceport Cornwall added, “We’re thrilled to welcome Blue Abyss to our Space Systems Operations Facility at Spaceport Cornwall. It’s fantastic to have such an innovative team join us, especially at this exciting time.
“We’d like to extend our huge congratulations to everyone at Blue Abyss on their new partnership with NASA’s Glenn Research Center. This collaboration not only showcases their incredible capabilities but also solidifies the UK’s role in advanced space and subsea training.”
In an update in December on progress of its Cornish pool plans, Blue Abyss CEO John Vickers said: “While the development of our Cornwall facility has faced hurdles due to local and regional political dynamics, we have secured £600,000 in matched funding to support the UK site pre-development costs.
“This funding highlights the strategic alignment of our projects with the UK’s renewable energy priorities. Despite challenges, we remain steadfast in our commitment and while we are also exploring alternative locations in the region to ensure the success of this critical project. The South West remains central to our vision for subsea innovation and energy resilience.”
Like this story? Why not sign up to get the latest South West business news straight to your inbox.