The pool is reportedly the world’s largest and deepest (Image: NASA/Blue Abyss)
The US space agency has signed a deal with a developer to build a gigantic indoor pool in Newquay, , for space and sea research.
’s Glenn Research Centre signed a deal with Blue Abyss, the company behind plans to build a 50-metre-deep and 40-metre-wide pool at Cornwall Airport in the seaside town last month.
The £150 million pool would reportedly be the equivalent of 17 Olympic swimming pools, reportedly making it the largest and deepest of its kind in the world, and could become a global hub for space research and training, helping astronauts prepare for journeys to the and mars.
“The Space Act Agreement … represents a pivotal milestone for Blue Abyss,” Chief Executive Officer John Vickers said in a 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,” he added.
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The pool would be built near Cornwall Airport in Newquay (Image: Getty)
The pool, which has been proposed for construction in a 50-metre shaft in Newquay, would have multiple entrance points, with multi-stepped depths to facilitate its different usages.
These would include studying the effects of extreme gravity conditions on humans, robotics and biological and physical sciences, and form the basis for futuristic “underwater facilities and augmented reality training tools”, a spokesperson said.
NASA’s “technical expertise and insights from decades of space exploration” would help the ambitious company to further “advance beyond scientific and technological frontiers,” they added.
Ross Hulbert, Head of Engagement at Spaceport Cornwall, where the proposed pool will be built if green-lit by the council, said he was “thrilled” at the prospect of a world-leading facility in northern Cornwall.
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“This partnership not only showcases [Blue Abyss’] incredible capabilities but also solidifies the UK’s role in advanced sea and subsea training,” he said.
Plans for the huge multi-million-pound pool were first announced in 2021, with support from British astronaut Tim Peake.
“Cornwall is the perfect home for Blue Abyss,” Mr Peake said at the time. “A region with great potential for its space, aerospace and renewable energy ambitions.”
The company has ambitions of becoming the world’s leading provider of extreme environmental research, providing services for the marine, defence, space and offshore energy sectors.