Cryo chamber

A cryo-chamber aboard the UNSC Forward Unto Dawn.

A cryo-chamber is a plastasteel chamber that allows all of a starship's non-essential personnel to be cryonically frozen for long periods of time. An example of its use would be during prolonged Slipspace jumps. They are basically large metal pods with form-fitting gel beds where the personnel are frozen until they are needed. An example of this is John-117, who was stored in a cryo-chamber aboard the ship UNSC Pillar of Autumn and later unhatched from the cryosleep chamber by Tech Chief Thom Shephard along with Tech Officer Sam Marcus.

Known models of the cryo-chamber include the Mark VII Personal Suspension Unit, manufactured by Jakubaitis Standard Systems. It was widely disliked by UNSC personnel because of its inferior moisture balancing; this resulted in dry, itchy skin for a day or more after awakening, known as "cryo-itch". It was later replaced by the Mark VIII Cryogenic Suspension Chamber, although many older craft still use the Mark VII.

Technical specifications

A standard cryo-chamber aboard a Halcyon-class Light Cruiser.

The cryo-chambers are usually stored in their own areas of the ship. Each cryo-chamber will hold an individual for as long as necessary, provided they use a Bronchial Surfactant, and can be ejected prior to an emergency landing, thus saving some crew from harm to be recovered later. Some pods feature slow-impulse thrusters for limited maneuvering in the event of ejection. While in cryo, humans do not age. Individuals in cryo tubes are given a steady supply of pharmaceuticals that control the frequency and duration of cryo-sleep cycles along with influencing the content of their dreams. Often a person may be placed in cryo in order to save them from succumbing to grievous injuries, such as in the case of Linda-058, who was placed in a cryo-chamber after being severely injured during the Fall of Reach, and successfully revived later despite being previously declared clinically dead.

Cryo-chambers are monitored by the ship's AI, and the AI can awaken crew members at a moment's notice. Cryo-computer is designed to change the pharmaceuticals dosage if a individual appears as though they might wake from cryogenic sleep. Cryo wake-up protocols demand that crew check each other to make sure everyone revives from cryo all right. There is usually a medical pod in cryogenics bays for emergency resuscitation situations. People are almost always stored in cryo-pods naked, as covered skin generally reacts badly to the cryo process, leaving skin raw and blistered. However Spartans often go into their cryo-chambers fully armored, using their conditioning and training to ignore the pain. Cadets at the Corbulo Academy of Military Science regularly wore carbon-black skintight clothing during cryo training; whether this clothing was designed to avoid burns is unknown. Entering cryo can also be used as an emergency measure: after the aft section of the UNSC Forward Unto Dawn is left drifting in space possibly years from rescue, the Master Chief entered cryo sleep in order to survive the wait for rescue.

Trivia

File:Cryo01.jpg

Cryo-chambers aboard UNSC Spirit of Fire, as seen in Halo Wars.

• Cryo-chambers are referred to as "the freezer" in slang, named after a term often called freezer burn which is a pain in joints and muscles caused by the cryo sleep pharmaceuticals trapped in muscles and joints. Another slang term for the chamber is "the Admiral's wife" because it is a "frosty bed." Being put in cryo is also referred to as being "put on ice."
• The slipspace field pod is the Forerunner equivalent to the cryo-chamber; these pods use a slipspace stasis field to suspend the occupant in time and to protect them from outside harm. It is unknown whether the Covenant possesses an equivalent of the cryo-chamber, as such technology is yet to be mentioned or observed.
• Even though humans must enter a cryo-tube naked or risk being blistered when they emerge, Professor Ellen Anders in Halo Wars and Dr. Catherine Halsey in The Package both entered their tubes fully clothed. These were cases of artistic license, however, since showing nudity would force up both the game's and the short film's rating.
• In Halo: Combat Evolved, it is possible through a glitch to get back inside the tube, and see the Chief, headless.

Gallery

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  A left-side view of a cryo-chamber in Halo: Combat Evolved.

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  A cryo-chamber in Halo: Combat Evolved.

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  John-117 in a cryo-chamber in Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary.

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  Concept art of the cryo-chamber for Halo Wars.

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  In-game view of the cryo-chamber bay in Halo Wars.

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  A single cryo-chamber from Halo Wars.

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  A marine inside a cryo-chamber.

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  Catherine Halsey in a cryo-chamber, fully clothed.

• DawnCryoConcept.jpg

  Concept art of the cryo-bay on the Forward Unto Dawn.

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  Concept art of the Forward Unto Dawn's cryo-bay.

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  Panoramic view of the cryo-bay in Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn.

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  John-117 in a cryo-chamber in Halo 4.

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  Cutout render of a cryo-chamber in Halo 4.

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  Cortana giving the command to thaw the Master Chief.

List of appearances

• Halo: Combat Evolved
• Halo: The Fall of Reach (First appearance)
• Halo: The Flood
• Halo: First Strike
• Halo: Contact Harvest
• Halo 3
• Halo: The Cole Protocol
• Halo Wars
• Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe
  • Dirt
• Halo Legends
  • Origins
  • The Package
• Halo: Blood Line
• Halo: Reach
• Halo: Fall of Reach
  • Boot Camp
  • Invasion
• Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn
• Halo 4