The experience
“Just to watch the color of the water change is pretty amazing. There are more colors than you can imagine.”
Alan Estrada, Mission Specialist
What is a Mission Specialist?
Mission Specialists are citizen explorers who actively participate as members of the crew to help the team achieve the expedition goals both in the sub and aboard ship. Mission Specialists may opt-in to various subsea and topside support roles and receive training and continued instruction throughout the mission.
WHAT MAKES a good
Mission Specialist?
Perhaps this is best answered by one of our Mission Specialists…
“Somebody who really has the desire to go on an expedition, who has the desire to feel what it's like to be out doing active things. Someone who's never been able to go to the ocean and has a passion for it. I think this would be unbelievable experience for somebody like that. I wanted to be an oceanographer, and this gives me the opportunity to actually be one – and do the work and do the science and even drive the submersible.”
Renata R. – Four time Mission Specialist
Experience the dive with us.
What is It Like in the Sub?
The inside of the submersible is well-lit and comfortable for five adults. The internal pressure remains at a constant one atmosphere – the same pressure we experience at sea level, so no decompression is required at the end of the dive and the air is recycled in a similar way as a spacecraft. The internal temperature is typically only a few degrees warmer than the outside water temperature, so we recommend being prepared with layers.
A common occurrence inside any sub during a dive is the presence of condensation on the inside of the pressure hull. For a more comfortable experience, Titan and Cyclops 1 are equipped with an internal barrier between the exterior hull and the interior compartment to deflect the condensation away from the crew.
During the dive
Crew members will rotate seating to ensure everyone has an opportunity to sit with an unobstructed view through the large viewport. Multiple displays show live feeds from the cameras or sonar views, plus each crewmember will have a digital tablet with individual access to the live camera views, sonar images, species guides, tracking data, shipwreck information, and more. As desired, lighting, music and recorded images can be adjusted for comfort and entertainment throughout the dive.
Typical seating configuration in Titan and Cyclops 1.
Eating and Drinking
Snacks and water are allowed. While Titan is the only deep research sub with a bathroom accommodation, given the tight quarters, it is only used in extreme cases. By limiting the consumption of food and beverages before and during the dive, the need to use the bathroom is largely eliminated.
