The Medina Aquarius Program provides an ideal combination of research, education and outreach that is both vital and timely. Since Aquarius' deployment in 1993, Aquanauts and their support teams have used Aquarius to address critical challenges facing scientists and policymakers.

Aquarius was built in Victoria, Texas, in 1986 by Victoria Machine Works. Underwater operations first began in the U.S. Virgin Islands, in St. Croix's Salt River Canyon (now a national park and previously home to Hydrolab, the predecessor to Aquarius), in 1988.

After 13 missions (and Hurricane Hugo), Aquarius was relocated to Wilmington, North Carolina, in 1990 and refurbished over an 18-month period by the National Undersea Research Center at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. In 1993, it was deployed at its current location in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.