NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations

Mark Widick · Issue 68, Sep/Oct 2012 · pp. 52–56

Products mentioned: Hasselblad H3DII-31, Ultima Digital housing, Nauticam housing, Sony NEX 7, Sea & Sea YS-250Pro TTL strobes, GoPro, iPhone 4

I often dream, while soaring over a dive site, am I flying or swimming, drifting through inner or outer space? Tranquil, effortless and beautiful, set free… divinely free. We glide at will through the water, unencumbered by gravity. Soaring like raptors over a cliff updraft, we are as close as divers can get to the experience of a space walking astronaut. For me, it is a lazy fantasy. For those charged with planning how we may make our next deep space journey this is an opportunity to stage full dress rehearsals. In October 2011 and June 2012 I became a team member of NEEMO 15 (NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations) and NEEMO 16. I was charged with photo-documenting a full-up underwater simulation. The plan was the simulated, rendezvous and exploration of a near Earth asteroid. Armed with my medium format Hasselblad camera, placed in an Ultima Digital housing, and the Nauticam hous…