1838 invention of the 'scaphander' for deep sea exploration lead to the exploration of the aerospace.

In 1838 Augustus Siebe built the first closed diving dress. Siebe's helmet had brass straps at the corselet to provide a watertight seal with the suit. Also it had an exhaustvalve where the air could escape through. Adjusting the force of a spring pushing a valve against the escaping airstream provided buoyancy control of the divers dress. Eventually it was used as a 'ventilated' diving equipment ( air was pumped 'through' from the surface ) But later they were equiped with 'rebreathers' ( respiration apparatus where breathing gas is filtered and, enriched with ogygene, 're-breathed' ) allowing respiration in irrespireable atmospheres without external airsupply. When these rebreather-scaphanders were made of rigid material the diver could descend without suffering the effect of the increasing ambient pressure. The importance of these equipments was shown by the exploration of the sea but at least as important is the exploration of the aerospace with them. When descending into the sea you have to deal with an increasing ambient pressure ( bends / oxygene poisening ) when ascending into the stratosphere or beyond you have to deal with a decreasing ambient pressure ( lower cooking point of fluid / blood ) The scaphander provides protection and allows respiration. I believe that the invention of the closed scaphander, patented by Augustus Siebe lead to the exploration of the origin of life on earth ( the sea ) and the exploration of the origin of the earth( space )

Submitted by: David Louis Dekker