In news– India’s First Manned Ocean Mission ‘Samudrayan’ has been launched at Chennai, recently.
About Samudrayan
- With this launch, India joined the elite club of nations such as the USA, Russia, Japan, France and China to have such underwater vehicles for carrying out subsea activities.
- This niche technology shall facilitate Ministry of Earth Sciences, MoES in carrying out deep ocean exploration of the non-living resources such as polymetallic manganese nodules, gas hydrates, hydro-thermal sulphides and cobalt crusts, located at a depth between 1000 and 5500 meters.
- MATSYA 6000 under Samudrayan initiative , the deep water manned submersible, will be ready for trials by the second quarter of 2024.
- The preliminary design of the manned submersible MATSYA 6000 is completed and realization of the vehicle is started with various organizations including ISRO, IITM and DRDO roped-in to support the development.
- The sea trials of 500 metre rated shallow water version of the manned submersible are expected to take place in the last quarter of 2022.
- Ministry of Earth Science-NIOT is indigenously developing this manned submersible with a depth capability of 6000 meters under the aegis of Deep Ocean Mission.
- The manned submersible, Matysa is designed to carry three persons in 2.1 meter diameter Titanium Alloy Personnel Sphere with an operational endurance of 12h and systems to support emergency endurance up to 96h.
Importance of sea water vehicles-
- The underwater vehicles are essential for carrying out subsea activities such as high resolution bathymetry, biodiversity assessment, geo-scientific observation, search activities, salvage operation and engineering support.
International Association of Classification and Certification Society (IACS)-
- IACS is a not for profit membership organisation of classification societies that establish minimum technical standards and requirements that address maritime safety and environmental protection and ensures their consistent application.
- It carries out this responsibility through its panels, expert groups and project teams and provides a Quality System Certification Scheme (QSCS) that its Members comply with, as an assurance of professional integrity and maintenance of high professional standards.
- IACS is recognized as the principal technical advisor of IMO.
China’s feat-
With the advancing subsea technologies, the recent Fendouzhe manned submersible developed by China in 2020 has touched ~11000m water depths.
Source: PIB
