Commercial space training company Blue Abyss has signed an agreement with NASA Glenn Research Center to provide astronaut training to the space agency (NASA). CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.
Agreement to commercialize space training
In a groundbreaking move for the commercial space sector, Blue Abyss has signed a Space Act Agreement with NASA’s Glenn Research Center. This collaboration aims to accelerate advancements in commercial space training, research, and infrastructure development, further positioning Blue Abyss as a key player in the global space industry.
The partnership between Blue Abyss and NASA Glenn Research Center focuses on developing next-generation capabilities for human spaceflight, training, and simulations of extreme environments. This initiative aligns with a shared vision to advance scientific discovery, promote innovation, and strengthen the commercial space ecosystem.
The agreement could help Blue Abyss win financing from the public and private sectors for a $300 million research facility it plans next to NASA Glenn. It is located on the west side of Cleveland Hopkins International Airport in the Cleveland suburb of Brook Park. Blue Abyss purchased 12 acres of land for the research facility and has established an office on Aerospace Parkway.
“This Space Act Agreement with NASA’s Glenn Research Center represents a pivotal milestone for Blue Abyss,” said the company’s CEO John Vickers in a written statement. “As we develop next-generation infrastructure, including our proposed facilities in the US and UK, it helps develop the international space sector, supporting industry growth, training, and infrastructure development that will support international clients and foster innovation.”
Location of Blue Abyss’ planned astronaut training center next to NASA Glenn Research Center and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (Blue Abyss/KJP).
Under the agreement, Blue Abyss and NASA will work together to explore several crucial areas, including:
- Selection and Training: Developing innovative methods for preparing the next generation of space travelers;
- Human Performance Research: Studying the effects of extreme gravity conditions on humans, robotics, and biological and physical sciences;
- Infrastructure Development: Planning and mapping advanced facilities such as underwater facilities, parabolic flights, and augmented reality training tools; and
- Expertise: NASA will lend its technical expertise and insights from decades of space exploration to guide the development of future capabilities and facilities.
As part of the initial phase of the agreement, Blue Abyss will conduct a comprehensive market study to define infrastructure requirements over the next 10 years. The results will help shape NASA’s understanding of how commercial facilities could support its future missions, cementing the partnership’s importance to the space industry. There was no comment from NASA officials, however.
A conceptual rendering of Blue Abyss’ proposed astronaut training center next to NASA Glenn Research Center (Blue Abyss).
“The Space Act Agreement between Blue Abyss and NASA unites two major organizations to enhance space training, research, and technology,” said Brook Park Mayor Edward Orcutt. “This partnership positions Brook Park as a premier location in the space industry, driving innovation, creating jobs, fostering education, and attracting investment.”
The partnership underscores NASA’s ongoing commitment to fostering collaborations that stimulate commercial opportunities while advancing scientific and technological frontiers. Blue Abyss’s innovative approach to integrating space and subsea training and research will serve diverse sectors, including maritime, defense, and renewable energy.
A large but unspecified amount of financing won by Blue Abyss was from the French government, to help French companies win business abroad, Vickers said last month at a hearing of the Ohio House of Representatives’ Aviation & Aerospace Committee. The hearing was held by committee chair Rep. Adam Holmes, R-97, of Nashport, OH, on projects likely to seek state funding in 2025.
“The vision here is to provide everybody on the committee information on developing programs that you might see in budget development next year in the operating budget, to give them a chance to explain what they’re doing,” Holmes said in December. “When that time comes, we’ll all be better legislators for understanding it. I’m very excited about that they’re doing.”
A cross-section of Blue Abyss’ planned training facility, including a proposed 164-foot-deep research and development pool to test materials and train people in a pressure-sensitive environment (Blue Abyss).
“Blue Abyss is building the first commercial astronaut training center here in Ohio, just near Cleveland, adjacent to NASA Glenn, adjacent to Hopkins Airport,” Vickers told the committee. “We want to make sure that the world sees that Ohio is leading the way into the future.”
Blue Abyss also was pursuing a research facility in Cornwall, United Kingdom but Vickers said it has a more of a marine focus to its research. He also said that project has taken a “hiatus” since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Blue Abyss to our Space Systems Operations Facility at Spaceport Cornwall,” said Ross Hulbert, head of engagement at Spaceport Cornwall. “This partnership not only showcases their incredible capabilities but also solidifies the UK’s role in advanced space and subsea training.”
As Blue Abyss moves forward with its ambitious plans, Vickers said this partnership with NASA serves as a testament to the organization’s vision. He said it will enable a future where humanity can live, work, and thrive in extreme environments, from subsea to space.
END
