Tuesday, 18 February 2025
Menu
Peterman works as a Dive Operations Specialist at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL), located at the Sonny Carter Training Facility near NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, USA. It is here that astronauts come under his care for a special Neutral Buoyancy diving course to help them adapt and learn to function in conditions similar to those they will face in weightlessness.
The state of neutral buoyancy is experienced by both divers and astronauts. In the case of divers, however, it is a slightly different feeling, as we feel the weight of the equipment all the time, as well as the resistance of the water. However, the whole thing is close enough to serve as a great and easily accessible way of training to prepare the astronaut mentally and physically for the experience of a true weightless state and the challenges that come with it.
How did Chris Peterman end up in such an unusual and interesting job? Working as a technology consultant, he became certified as a diver one day in 2002 and decided to pursue his career in that direction.
“Initially, I pursued my career as a technology consultant and at the same time worked part-time in various dive shops, taught diving courses, occasionally made a living searching underwater for various things on commission, and also lectured about diving at the University of Texas at Austin. In short, if there was a diving job to be done, I took it,” he says of his path to NASA.
“I applied to the NBL twice. Once right after getting my diving certification and the second time when my diving CV was already looking a bit more impressive. The second time I was successful and got the position.” – he recalls.
Today, Chris Peterman has a job he loves and many development paths to follow.
“If someone has been accepted as a diver into the NBL, there are many paths they can choose to follow and continue their professional development. For example, one can focus on the operation of communication and video systems, maintenance and preparation of the equipment we use in training, robotics in the broadest sense, gas mixing and surface survival techniques,” Peterman lists.
For those who would like to realise themselves in a similar way to him, Chris has some advice about diving. Among the skills you need to possess is perfect buoyancy control, or multitasking while diving. Also essential is something that cannot be further defined, which Chris calls diving instinct. Those who have it now surely know what we are talking about…
According to Peterman, it is also necessary to have persistence in pursuing one’s goal, the desire for constant development and following one’s dreams. Only then are we able to achieve the highest goals.
“Don’t let others tell you that something is impossible. It’s all up to you!” – he adds at the end.
Source: arstechnica.com
Welcome to DIVERS24.COM, your daily source of scuba news, freediving, scuba diving information, and equipment reviews. Our comprehensive coverage of the dive industry from A to Z provides you with all the latest scuba news, training updates, underwater photography tips, and everything else related to scuba diving. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced diver looking for more knowledge about scuba gear or techniques – we’ve got it covered! With our in-depth articles written by experienced divers who have been there and done that, you are sure to find exactly what you need here at Divers24.com. Dive into scuba news today!
Underwater Media Sp. z o.o.
Szafarnia 11/F8,
80-755 Gdansk, Poland
Welcome to DIVERS24.COM, your daily source of scuba news, freediving, and scuba diving information. Sign in for a weekly news update and discount coupons for dive gear and apparel.
@2023 - underwatermedia.pl. All Right Reserved. Designed and Developed by Tworzenie stron internetowych Gdansk
The Divers24 portal is currently the largest online medium treating diving in Poland. Since 2010 we have been providing interesting and important information from Poland and around the world on all forms of diving and related activities.
Contact us: info@divers24.com