A British startup, Deep, is setting out to revolutionize ocean exploration with its innovative approach to developing underwater habitats designed for long-term human presence on the seafloor. By enabling scientists to live and work on the ocean floor for weeks or even months, this groundbreaking initiative could unlock new opportunities for marine research and significantly enhance our understanding of the Earth’s vital marine ecosystems.
Despite the vastness of the world’s oceans, only a small fraction has been thoroughly explored. The majority of marine life—estimated to be 90%—resides in the deep sea, yet current diving technology severely limits researchers’ access to this underexplored environment. Traditional scuba diving restricts scientists to shallow depths and short excursions, while submersibles and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) only provide fleeting glimpses of the ocean’s depths. In order to truly comprehend and protect our oceans, researchers need a way to immerse themselves in these environments for extended periods.
Deep’s solution is an innovative series of underwater habitats that allow scientists to live on the seafloor, where they can conduct continuous research and monitor the ocean in real-time. The company is developing two key systems: the transportable Vanguard habitat and the more permanent, larger Sentinel.
The Vanguard is a rapidly deployable, shipping container-sized underwater shelter capable of supporting up to three people for up to a week at depths of 100 meters. Designed with flexibility in mind, Vanguard can be transported by ship and provides scientists the ability to spend extended hours working on the seafloor before returning to the habitat for rest, meals, and data analysis. Its flexible power system can connect to a variety of renewable energy sources, including onshore power grids, floating solar farms, or underwater battery pods.
Scheduled for launch in 2027, the Sentinel will be a larger, modular underwater habitat capable of supporting up to six people for months at a time. Built for more permanent operations, it will be able to operate at depths of up to 200 meters. The habitat will be equipped with labs, living quarters, and docking ports for submersibles, allowing for deep-sea exploration, sample collection, and long-term monitoring of marine ecosystems. The modules will also be designed to accommodate various internal pressures, optimizing sections for different types of research, including sample analysis and visitor observation.
By providing scientists with the ability to live and work on the ocean floor, these underwater habitats will significantly enhance research capabilities. With continuous access to the deep sea, scientists will be able to conduct long-term experiments, gather vital data, and deploy and maintain oceanographic instruments. This “boots-on-the-ground” approach to ocean exploration will deepen our understanding of deep-sea ecosystems, marine life, and the geological processes that govern the ocean’s complex systems.
In addition to advancing marine research, Deep’s underwater habitats will also serve as analogues for future space exploration. Living in a confined, isolated, and extreme environment, much like the conditions found on the Moon or Mars, presents similar challenges to long-duration spaceflight and extraterrestrial habitation. The lessons learned from Deep’s projects will provide valuable insights into the technologies, protocols, and human factors required for missions to other planets.
Currently, Deep is focusing on developing and testing the Vanguard prototype, with a pilot program scheduled for the first quarter of 2025. The data gathered from this initial prototype will inform the design and construction of the larger Sentinel habitat, with a planned launch set for 2027. In the long term, Deep envisions establishing a permanent human presence on the ocean floor by 2030. To make this a reality, the company is investing in advanced manufacturing facilities and efficient processes to produce underwater habitats and support structures.
Deep’s ambitious vision for ocean exploration represents a paradigm shift in how we interact with our planet’s last frontier. By providing scientists with the tools to live and work beneath the waves, these new underwater habitats could accelerate our understanding of the oceans and their crucial role in the global climate system.
If successful, the technologies pioneered by Deep could pave the way for not only the expansion of humanity into the ocean depths but also the exploration and potential habitation of outer space.
By Impact Lab