NEEMO
6 Journals
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6 Videoconference |
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9 NASA ISS Science Officer Mike Fincke participates
in a videoconference with the NEEMO 6 crew. |
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Topside
Journals #7
Editor's
note: Marc Reagan is the mission director for the NEEMO 6 mission.
This is the seventh of a series of daily reports documenting the
undersea activities of the NEEMO 6 crew and its Topside Team of
supporters in Key Largo, Florida.
Greetings!
Ever heard
of Stephanocoenia Michelini or Siderastrea Siderea? How about Porites
Astreiodes, Montastaea Cavernosa, or Agarcia Agaticites? These are
not exotic new diseases being studied on NEEMO 6, but rather types
of coral that our crew has been working vigorously to measure, photograph,
and document!
The crew members
have become proxy scientists for the National Undersea Research
Center in the realm of coral science. Our NEEMO crews help add to
the long term database on coral health in the Florida Keys, and
at the same time develop basic skills that will be required on their
space flights: learning about something they probably don't know
much about, and being the hands and eyes of the "real"
scientist who can't be there. This week the crew embarked on three
coral science dives, each with ExPOC support. During these dives,
the aquanauts used transect lines to cordon off an area in which
they worked. Within that area they then selected the largest corals
to study. After selecting them, they measured the coral and recorded
the data. Then they made an evaluation of the coral that they were
studying and estimated the percent living vs. dead coral on each
colony. They recorded their answers on underwater slates, and also
took a short video clip of each coral so the species could be identified
later. This field research, coupled with the dynamic underwater
environment, creates a challenging task for our aquanauts and allows
them to demonstrate and utilize both their diving and scientific
skills. This was the most challenging diving they'll do this mission,
and it's fitting that it be at the end when their skills have been
honed to a high degree.
We hope that
these dives provide NOAA with data that presents an overview of
the health of various areas of the reef. Our data from this study
will be compared to long term research at the site to evaluate the
overall condition of the coral reef. Data has revealed that only
7.3% of the coral reef in the Florida Keys is living. Coral reefs
are the rainforests of the oceans. An amazingly high percentage
of the total species found in the seas live on coral reefs. In recent
years coral reefs have declined around the world. Understanding
this decline, and the human contributions to it, may give us the
knowledge to reverse the trend. While our contribution to this study
may be a small one, we are proud of the relationship that has developed
between NASA and NOAA through this and the previous NASA NEEMO missions.
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The
NEEMO 6 crewmembers are studying coral.
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The
Basic Tools of Coral Science
The NEEMO Aquanauts
have seen a wide variety of sea life on the reef. From the grouper
who tends to hang around near the habitat to the barracuda who made
waterlab their new home, to the aileron-rolling nurse shark they
observed on the night dive last night, the NEEMO 6 crew has embraced
their new environment and taken the time to stop and enjoy the view.
A large barracuda tends to hang out near the viewport which is near
the galley table, and the crew has named him BOB (as in Big Ol'
Barracuda... actually, we understand Craig Cooper, the senior habitat
technician on this mission, came up with this name. Clearly he's
been hanging out with us NASA people too long when he starts using
acronyms to name the fish :-) )
One of the
crewmembers confided last night that he was "forever changed
by this experience." We know what he means. It starts out as
mission designed to be a space analog and make better prepared astronauts
(among other things). But along the way you find that you've developed
a bond with the vibrant, dynamic life cycle of the sea during the
course of the mission. We know that they are very conflicted right
now as their mission nears its end: excited to be joining their
friends and family again, happy that they've accomplished a successful
mission, and yet amazed that the time has flown by so quickly. They
can scarcely believe it's almost over, and we’re confident
they're all a little bit sad it has to end so soon.
This weekend
ISS Science Officer Mike Fincke called and requested that we set
up a videoconference for him to talk with the Topside Team and professionals
at NURC. The ISS Flight Control team and Kea Foreman at NURC made
it happen today - seamlessly. It was standing room only on our side,
as all of his friends here eagerly greeted him. (It was floating
room only on his side, of course.) Mike instinctively understands
something that most people don’t realize: that for every successful
mission like this, there are a lot of unsung heroes behind the scenes
making it happen. In this case, the crew at NURC is definitely in
that category. They keep Aquarius - the only operational undersea
research facility in the world - operating year after year, and
take justifiable pride in doing so. They provide two professional
aquanauts - in this case Craig Cooper and Joe March - for each mission
to keep our NASA crew healthy and safe. They man a watch desk 24/7
during each mission with great diligence. They’re ready at
the drop of a hat to get on a boat on a stormy night and restart
the generators on the Life Support Buoy. And they do it all with
a smile. There’s not a one of them who can’t wear at least
three hats with ease. Being recognized by Mike today was really
a treat, because he’s seen first hand the professionalism they
display, and he took the time to compliment them on it. It was a
nice treat for the Topside Team, too, as we’ve all become fast
friends with him.
We’re
winding down… Thanks for staying with us!
- NEEMO Topside
Team
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