INNERSPACE SCIENCE
Innerspace Science is an organization that facilitates the use of privately owned submersibles for scientific and educational purposes on a non-commercial basis.
On land, a small submersible at a school or science fair is a powerful tool to capture the attention of young minds and spark the imagination. A sub is a perfect prop for teaching many STEM disciplines. At sea, it can carry non-diving scientists or give the human subjects of a documentary a more engaging and first hand role than remotely operated vehicles would allow.
Submersibles are typically very expensive to operate because they require the support of ocean going vessels, and in consequence few scientists can afford their use. Privately owned submersibles are often precluded from carrying passengers for hire because of regulations, but nothing prevents them from making dives with a scientific purpose and carrying non-paying observers, instruments, or cameras. The personal submersibles in our organization are not rated for extreme depths and will not be visiting the Titanic, but they easily provide access to continental shelf depths far beyond the range of SCUBA divers. These small boats can be trailered behind a SUV or pickup truck and launched from ordinary boat ramps.
Some Innerspace Science submersible owners are available for paid educational engagements on land - please see the "Education" tab for details. Should you have an idea for a science mission at sea, we would love to hear it. Your proposal will be shared with the owners to see if any wish to take it on. Such expeditions are non-commercial, with the direct costs split equally between the expedition members including the owner in question.
The sub owners partnering on Innerspace.org have all met and become friends on PSUBS, a site dedicated to the discussion of safety, design, construction, and operation of personal submersibles. To those who might be interested in building or acquiring their own submersible, we highly recommend that site and suggest joining its email discussion group.