As part of its mission to "make humans aquatic" Deep is developing a habitat where people can live, work and explore under the ocean's surface. Rose Dykins reports

Aquatic engineering and exploration company Deep has plans to create a submersible habitat that makes it possible for humans to spend time living and working underwater.

Set to debut in 2027, the company's Sentinel system is designed for short-term and semi-permanent deployments of undersea explorers on the continental shelf (the edge of a continent's crust that is submerged in the sea).

With Sentinel, Deep is hoping to kickstart a new era of ocean exploration and research, given that 95% of the ocean still remains unexplored, and humankind knows more about the surface of Mars or the moon than we do about our planet's ocean floor.

3D manufacturing techniques will be used to create Sentinel's modular design, where its components can be assembled into different configurations. This process is more efficient than building bespoke design for each individual habitat, and reduces the amount of waste materials used in construction.

The highly customisable nature of Sentinel means it can be configured for a range of different purposes, be it hosting a six-person crew for a short-term deployment, or a 50-person team for a semi-permanent research project. Each Sentinel is designed to have a lifespan of 20 years, during which time it can be deployed and relocated to different areas of the world.

An innovative feature of Sentinel, is that it doesn't rely on a Dive Support Vessel. These are typically stationed at the ocean's surface to support the power of subsea habitats, bringing a high environmental cost and making deployments vulnerable to weather changes. Instead, Sentinel's power systems are based on "micro-grid architecture", working with Deep's renewable power and satellite communication buoy.

Sentinel is designed to be a comfortable place for long-stay living and working, and conducive to productivity when carrying out research projects. This includes having the facilities to offer a good night's sleep, ample space to relax and work, and the means to serve delicious, healthy food.

The atmospheric pressure on Sentinel can be adapted to either ambient pressure (the same as the surrounding water) or one atmosphere (the average pressure at sea level). The former makes it possible to make use of the structures two "moon pools" for diving excursions with qualified divers. The latter is suited for short visits to Sentinel via submarine transfer, which works well for academics or media professionals without diving experience.

Meanwhile, the habitat's panoramic viewports open up the views of the surrounding ocean, creating the opportunity for "incidental science", which Deep describes as: "Those serendipitous discoveries that occur only as a result of sustained observation and spotting what noone else has seen before."