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Spinoff story
Offshore Oil Workers Learn Survival Skills in Astronaut Training Pool
A real-world story of NASA technology finding a life beyond the mission.
About this technology
Overview
At Johnson Space Center’s Neutral Buoyancy Lab, astronauts practice spacewalks underwater to simulate weightlessness. To offset the cost of maintaining the enormous and well-equipped pool, the center charges outside groups to use the facility under a Space Act Agreement. The biggest customer is Houston-based Bastion Technologies, which provides offshore survival and fire training to oil and gas workers. The facility provides the company with a proven safety system, comfort, heavy equipment, and an ample staging area.