Deep Sleep project

The Deep Sleep project was a United States Space Administration program designed to study the effects of "deep sleep" hibernation pods in space.

Project summary
The goal of the project was to launch a ship into space with Deep Sleep pods and record all relevant biological data. In addition to the U.S.S.A., RobCo, Arktos Pharma, and three other corporations were involved in the project. Four astronauts were assigned to be on the ship: Commander Sofia Daguerre, Dr. Carol Bernard, Dr. Nowak, and Dr. Lee. The Deep Sleep mission space ship was launched in 2070 and was supposed to run to 2075, or 2080 if the program was extended. In the event of a de-orbit and subsequent crash of the mission's space ship, the ship's automated pilot PANDORA was supposed to report to the nearest USSA facility.

Deep Sleep Pods
The hibernation pods themselves were designed and patented in 2067 by Dr. Bernard, under the oversight of Dr. Emerson Hale. These pods were designed to keep living tissue in stasis, with sensory data connection established via external link. This link was established through the use of a serum, though the serum was affected by gravity. On Earth, Serum K (sometimes referred to as Formula K) could be used, but it would not work in zero-gravity conditions. In response, a new formula needed to be designed during Project Z. The result was Serum Z, which would work in outer space. Both formulas were designed using Sofia Daguerre as an unwitting test subject.

Experiment phases
The experiment was conducted in three different phases. During phase I of the experiment, exact dosages were adjusted and results were analyzed. Phase II involved the transition of data recording to be continuous and for Sofia Daguerre to become a "full conduit". Phase III of the experiment involved forcing the other three crew-mates on the ship to enter their own pods and have the experiment performed on them. This was done to see how A.T.H.E.N.A., the computer designed to remotely take in sensory data, would perform with multiple subjects.

Aftermath
The ship carrying Sofia Daguerre and her crew-mates crashed into Appalachia in 2103 during the quest Crash Landing. Due to her pod's location in the craft (it was put inside the main escape capsule), Sofia Daguerre was the only human survivor of the crash. The ship crashed in Appalachia due to Dr. Emerson Hale setting up a beacon in the region to guide the ship down as safely as possible.

Due to Serum Z still being in her body, data from Sofia Daguerre can still be sent to A.T.H.E.N.A., though this causes massive headaches that can only be slightly alleviated with other drugs, such as stimpaks and specialized Emergence Kits. The only cure is to either permanently disable A.T.H.E.N.A. or transfer the robot's AI to a nearby Assaultron.

Appearances
The Deep Sleep project is only mentioned in the Fallout 76 update Wastelanders.