Manufacturing The Tektite Habitat

Tektite was manufactured by the General Electric Company in conjunction with the Office of Naval Research, Department of Interior, NASA, and other government, industry and academic organizations. It was manufactured to house four marine scientists for a 60-day period on the ocean floor at a 50 foot depth at an isolated site in the Virgin Islands. The habitat and associated surface equipment provided for life support, environmental control, communications, surface monitoring, safety and comfort of the four aquanauts.

The Tektite I experiment was completed safely within minutes of the time scheduled many months previously. The habitat was returned to General Electric in Philadelphia where it was refurbished for the Tektite II mission. This mission is currently in progress in the Virgin Islands and is due to be complete in early November 1970.