Inside the underwater base, scientists plan to build off the coast of Wales by 2027 – where researchers will spend 28 DAYS in cramped pods 200 meters below the surface

The idea of ​​living underwater for a month is enough to fill any claustrophobia with dread, but it could become a reality in just three years if this new design pays off.

Scientists at DEEP Research Labs, an ocean technology and exploration company, have unveiled plans to build a base 200 meters below the surface off the coast of Wales where researchers can live for up to 28 days at a time.

The base, called Sentinel, would provide scientists with extensive access to the “epipelagic zone,” which is believed to be home to 90 percent of marine life.

DEEP said: ‘Being able to comprehensively explore the full extent of this part of the ocean rather than just launching incursions from the surface will mark a step change in the way scientists can observe, monitor and understand the oceans. .’

Images show how the base will contain a central ‘great hall’, with labs above on a mezzanine level

The epipelagic zone is often referred to as the sunlight zone and extends from the surface to an altitude of 200 meters.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Washington DC explained: ‘This zone contains the most visible light.

‘With that sunlight comes heat from the sun, which is responsible for large temperature fluctuations in this zone, both with the seasons and latitudes. Sea surface temperatures range from as high as 36 degrees Celsius in the Persian Gulf to 28 degrees Celsius near the North Pole.’

Although scientists can explore this zone with submersibles, they can usually only stay submerged for hours at a time.

To give researchers more extensive access to this zone, DEEP proposes building a permanent base off the west coast of Great Britain.

DEEP President Steve Etherton said, “We need to protect the oceans. To do that, we need to understand them.

“The oceans are at the center of many of the generational challenges facing the world, and they also present opportunities that we have not even begun to understand.

DEEP scientists have unveiled plans to build a base 200 meters away off the coast of Wales where researchers can live for up to 28 days at a time

To give researchers more extensive access to this zone, DEEP Research Labs proposes building a permanent base off Britain’s west coast

Scientists will live in private bedrooms with a single bed with built-in storage and a small side table, while their bathrooms will have a reasonably spacious shower, in addition to a toilet and sink.

“They are the source of at least every other breath we take. They affect the weather. They affect the climate.

“They influence us. Yet this life-sustaining ecosystem remains surprisingly unknown.

“Through our innovative technology, DEEP will enable scientists to operate at depth for extended periods of time and we hope to contribute in some small way to our understanding of this life-giving environment.”

Images of the design show how the base will have a central ‘great hall’, with labs above in a mezzanine.

Scientists will live in private bedrooms with a single bed with built-in storage and a small side table, while their bathrooms will have a reasonably spacious shower, in addition to a toilet and sink.

The galley has a dining table, a simple kitchen and large windows with a view over the seabed

DEEP hopes its first base will be off the coast of Wales, although the exact location is not known

The galley, meanwhile, has a dining table, a simple kitchen and large windows that overlook the seabed.

DEEP hopes its first base will be off the coast of Chepstow in Wales.

A spokesperson told MailOnline: “We will initially deploy a Sentinel to our R&D facility outside Chepstow to test and meet classification requirements and to train crews.”

It also remains unclear how much the base will cost to build.

The spokesperson added: “In terms of costs, we are in a commercially sensitive phase and cannot easily release figures at this time due to confidentiality and commercial sensitivities.”