Two other projects are entering the ESA BIC space incubator – Hydronaut and Intellmaps
Underwater training station for astronauts and applications for hospitals.
The startups Hydronaut and Intellmaps are entering the business incubator of the European Space Agency (ESA BIC) in Prague, which is operated by the CzechInvest agency. They receive initial financial support in the amount of 50 thousand euros, technical and business mentoring, as well as a number of other benefits that will greatly help them in the development of projects. In the incubator, companies will learn how to properly set up a business strategy and improve marketing, participate in a number of trainings and get acquainted with the space and startup community. Both startups were officially presented at the ESA BIC Prague panel discussion held on November 10, 2020 as part of this year’s Czech Space Week space activities festival.
The first of the two additions is the Hydronaut project with its 35-ton underwater station simulating a stay in space. The station can be used for astronaut training and various experiments. Unlike similar equipment from the 1980s found in America, the Hydronaut boasts state-of-the-art technology and design tweaks. In addition, it is mobile and can therefore be transported from place to place. The uniqueness of the device also lies in the fact that it very faithfully simulates real conditions in space. When leaving it, it is necessary to wear a spacesuit and in case of any problems, the diver does not get to the surface immediately, but it takes several tens of minutes before he can emerge due to the so-called decompression stops.
His designer Matyáš Šanda has already tried his stay in Hydronaut, spending a total of 168 hours and 168 minutes in the underwater station together with his colleague František Harant. They thus broke the Czech record in the length of their stay under water and verified that the device is really functional and able to train astronauts in various scenarios and situations that may occur during their stay on the ISS. The European Space Agency has also shown interest. However, the use of Hydronaut extends to other industries. For example, firefighters or paleontologists can train in the cramped space of this facility to practice cave missio