For those who like a matrix, here's a draft list of dates and locations that I sifted from the Deepsea Challenge website and independent reports, such as pieces filed by news outlets in Guam and Australia.
If there are errors or omissions, let me know!
Date (Local) | Label | Location | Max depth (feet) | Notes |
01/26/12 | First submersion – no pilot | Dock at Garden Island Naval Depot, Sydney Harbor | < 5 | Checks for buoyancy and water tightness |
01/31/12 | First piloted submersion | Dock at Garden Island Naval Depot, Sydney Harbor | < 5 | First time pilot in sub, in water |
Probably first half of Feb | Open-ocean test | Jervis Bay, S of Sydney | Not reported | Successful piloted tests |
02/21/12 | First attempt, test dive to 3K feet | Jacquinot Bay, 3 mi offshore of Papua, New Guinea | 0 | Sub launched with pilot, but aborted after 1 hr. Stayed on surface |
02/22/12 | Second attempt, test dive to 3K feet | Jacquinot Bay | 0 | Scrubbed due to camera-control problems |
02/23/12 | Test dive to 3K feet | Jacquinot Bay | 3,250 | Successful dive, photography, moved horiz at 3 kt, and rendezvous with lander Mike and also ROV operated from above |
02/27/12 | Attempted test dive to 12K | Jacquinot Bay | 0 | Scrubbed |
02/28/12 | Test dive to 12K | Jacquinot Bay | 12,000 | Successful rendezvous with landers Mike and Andrew, maneuvered 5 km horiz with guidance from ship |
03/04/12 | First Dive, New Britain Trench | New Britain Trench | 23,818 | On way to NB Trench bottom, tried to stop 5 kt descent with large dumps of trim shot, then ascended slowly; then dropped ascent wts |
03/07/12 | Second Dive, New Britain Trench | New Britain Trench | 26,791 | Successful dive to trench bottom for photography – maneuvered 1.5 km horiz, 300m vert |
03/21/12 | Unpiloted test dive to Challenger Deep | Not reported | “nearly seven miles” | tested to “almost 8 tons per sq inch” |
03/25/12 | First solo trip to deepest point | Challenger Deep (probably vicinity of 11.3632, 142.5770) | 35,756 | Successful dive – first solo dive to bottom of hadal zone; 3D photography; core sample brought up; surfaced at local noon |
No comments:
Post a Comment