Throughout many of these tasks, the mission will also test communications delays similar to those that would be encountered on a mission to Mars. The “aquanauts” were sent to train undersea in simulated space mission as the bottom of a blue ocean and the surface of a Red Planet have something in common — extreme environments. NASA astronauts go to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean on a 16-day mission to prepare for extreme environments during space odysseysNASA has sent a team of astronauts to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean on a 16-day mission to prepare for future deep space missions and the journey to Mars. The Aquarius Reef Base is located 62 feet below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. “NEEMO 21 astronauts and crew will pioneer complex tasks on the seafloor utilising the most advanced underwater navigation and science tools which are methodically choreographed to mimic a Mars exploration traverse,” said NEEMO Project Lead Bill Todd.

Source: The Hindu July 23, 2016 17:48 UTC