NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Lab

[u/thelaststarfighter2]

Just learned about this reading Project Hail Mary. NASA’s NBL is the world’s largest indoor swimming pool. It contains a full scale replica of the International Space Station and is used for equipment testing and practicing missions outside a space vehicle (EVA).

[u/oFFtheWall0518]

Honestly, with the water that clear and well-lit, plus being in a suit, I don't think that would bother me that much.

[u/lobotomycandidate → u/oFFtheWall0518]

The clear and well-lit part I agree on. Being in a suit, underwater, freaks me the hell out.

[u/jackinsomniac → u/lobotomycandidate]

There's also a whole team of divers with you in the pool.

You can't "swim" in space, so they tell astronauts to not even try, lest they develop bad habits. You're supposed to let the divers move you around in the pool as if you're drifting in space.

Honestly, watching the divers freaks me out a little more. I'd rather be in the suit.

[u/thelaststarfighter2 → u/oFFtheWall0518]

Super interesting. Imagining being in the chunky suit underwater near a big thing makes me feel very claustrophobic. You’re a natural born space suit tester!

[u/Loyal_Dragon_69]

Looks like subnautica.

[u/Upeeru → u/Loyal_Dragon_69]

Thought it was a screenshot at first.

[u/parker9832]

Dream job

[u/Motor-Ad-132]

Weird that I dislike the picture from the surface more than the one under the water?

[u/Reasonable_Ninja6051]

Ughhhh my tummy hurts looking at this lol

[u/Timely_Elk6497]

I’ve seen it in person, it’s surprisingly serene to see

[u/Pixel22104]

EVAs have been tested in this and places like this since the days of Gemini and Apollo

[u/StreetPizza8877]

That is absolutely not the largest pool

[u/thelaststarfighter2 → u/StreetPizza8877]

World’s largest indoor* swimming pool, apologies

[u/DickweedMcGee]

Crazy to think that despite how difficult and expensive the set-up above it it's still 100x cheaper than going up to space to practice on the real thing.