Located in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Aquarius is the world's only functioning underwater ocean laboratory. Aquarius is deployed 3-1/2 miles offshore of Key Largo, FL, at a depth of about 60 feet, next to spectacular coral reefs. Scientists live in Aquarius for missions lasting 7-10 days using saturation diving to explore our coastal ocean. Aquarius is owned by NOAA and is operated by the NOAA Undersea Research Program's Undersea Research Center at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

This program demonstrates how NASA and NOAA work together to study and preserve our environment and the career choices that await these young explorers. The opportunity to dive in the waters near Aquarius is rare, and the chance to be part of a tour inside the lab is very special indeed. A group of 6 SCUBAnauts dive to 60 ft to tour the habitat. Bottom times are limited to just 40 minutes to avoid any decompression obligations.

The tour of the habitat starts with the SCUBAnauts climbing through the moonpool – the“front door” of Aquarius.

They then move into the main lock, which houses many of the control systems, communications equipment, and galley. Moving to the entry lock, viewers see that it's an ideal place to set up scientific instruments and computers ... it also contains the toilet. In the bunk room there are 6 bunks and a large porthole to give resting aquanauts an unrivaled show of marine life. During the tours, the young SCUBAnauts often have a chance to phone home and speak with their parents from underwater (a rareopportunity for any diver!). Arrangements are being made for future opportunities to communicate directly from Aquarius to the International Space Station so astronauts can explain the links between the deep ocean and the frontier of space.