Planned for 1989, the Aqualab mission that was supposed to be launched in cooperation with H. G. Delauze (P-DG of Comex), NHK and Jamstek developed the habitat in Okinawa, in Japon in order to continue the experiments of Scott Carpenter, first astronaut to have also lived under the sea (Hydrolab program, Virgin Islands) within an American program of underwater habitats.
A Russian cosmonaut Vladimir Titov having performed the longest spaceflight at a time was expected to take part in the 6 month initial program designed by Jacques Rougerie. The Aqualab program was aimed at beating the record of the underwater life duration. It played with resemblances of the underwater life and life in space while ascribing to it a cultural, artistic, media and scientific dimension. The structure suspended at 12 meters underwater and capable to host 6 people should have been made of aluminum with large methacrylate windows.
