The Inside Story of Virgin Oceanic's Mission To the Mariana Trench

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The Inside Story of Virgin Oceanic's Mission To the Mariana Trench

Posted by samzenpus on Wednesday February 29, 2012 @10:15AM from the inside-scoop dept.

the_newsbeagle writes "Millionaire adventurer Chris Welsh, the driving force behind Virgin Oceanic, wants to name his sub "Scarlett" after Scarlett Johansson—that's how sexy this vehicle is. Welsh plans to pilot the experimental, cutting-edge sub to the bottom of the Mariana Trench sometime this year, in what would be only the second human descent to the deepest spot in the world's oceans (the first trip down was in 1960). This inside account of the Virgin Oceanic mission describes a team fueled by ego, science, and derring-do, and explains how their high-tech sub could usher in a new kind of marine exploration. The article also tells the story of an adventure on the high seas last summer, when Welsh & co visited the trench to test some robotic deep-sea landers... and ran smack into a typhoon."

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So, "cutting edge" by Anonymous Coward · 2012-02-29 10:17 · Score: 5, Funny

is something that was already done in 1960?
1. Re:So, "cutting edge" by Anonymous Coward · 2012-02-29 10:36 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  Yup. Just let me dig out my Pessimist's Dictionary. I know I have it around here somewhere... ah, there it is.
  *a-hem*
  "cutting-edge," adj. Like something done decades ago, but not repeated since due to public apathy about science and/or exploration. Usage example: "A cutting-edge mission to the moon would boost patriotism."
2. Re:So, "cutting edge" by tibit · 2012-02-29 10:47 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  I think that Hubble, the Mars rovers, and the upcoming JWST are much bigger accomplishments. Mission to the Moon was the biggest feat at the time, but the world doesn't sit still, yaknow. Hubble and JWST are more complex than the Apollo stack by almost any measure you would select.
  
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  A successful API design takes a mixture of software design and pedagogy.
3. Re:So, "cutting edge" by arielCo · 2012-02-29 10:54 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  The Trieste was a bathyscaphe - a hard sphere hanging from a flotation device.
  This is a true submarine - it dives and ascends as a single unit: http://www.virginoceanic.com/vehicles/submersible/
  The unmanned Nereus also reached the Challenger Deep, piloted remotely through a fiber optic cable.
  
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4. Re:So, "cutting edge" by bananaquackmoo · 2012-02-29 11:10 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  The thing about that is just because something is more complex does not make it more of an accomplishment.
5. Re:So, "cutting edge" by rocket+rancher · 2012-02-29 11:49 · Score: 2
  
  I think that Hubble, the Mars rovers, and the upcoming JWST are much bigger accomplishments. Mission to the Moon was the biggest feat at the time, but the world doesn't sit still, yaknow. Hubble and JWST are more complex than the Apollo stack by almost any measure you would select.
  uhhhh, okay -- I'll bite. How about the capability to support the complex needs of a living organism against the harsh rigors of space? Hubble and JWST don't even have that capability, nor can they ever acquire it. What they are capable of is still fantastic, but if you are going to make comparisons, make sure you are not comparing apples to oranges. I think you just brought into sharp relief (cutting edge metaphor is good, let's stick with it) the difference between robotic missions and manned missions. I can't get as excited about another robotic mission as I could about a manned mission to Mars, though I have more than enough enthusiasm for science to get excited about both. We should be hammering on politicians' doors night and day demanding to know why we are being forced to choose one over the other when there is plenty of interest, collective wealth, and expertise to accomplish both with style and panache.
6. Re:So, "cutting edge" by giorgist · 2012-02-29 12:40 · Score: 2
  
  Open heart surgery first happened in 1960, do you doubt that today's performances are not cutting edge ?
7. Re:So, "cutting edge" by Lando · 2012-02-29 17:05 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  Bathyscaphe, submarine, does it matter. The bathyscaphe was autonomous, it had not connection to the surface and had propellers to move it around. This is likely tied to the article they had a few weeks/months back about being the first to get to the bottom. Sounds like it's just trying to drum up publicity, but knowing that people know about the previous visit they are not saying it's the first any longer. Actually the previous was about some Chinese submersibles I think. It's interesting, but just wanted to point out that differences are minor versus major as the above comment tries to assert.
  
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  /* TODO: Spawn child process, interest child in technology, have child write a new sig */
8. Re:So, "cutting edge" by khallow · 2012-02-29 20:24 · Score: 2
  
  Hubble and JWST are more complex than the Apollo stack by almost any measure you would select.
  They aren't more complex than the human being, which is typically part of the Apollo stack.
a team fueled by ego by amoeba1911 · 2012-02-29 10:20 · Score: 4, Funny

Is that carbon neutral? Why haven't I seen cars that run on ego? It's some kind of government conspiracy to keep us dependent on oil. Roswell!
1. Re:a team fueled by ego by nitehawk214 · 2012-02-29 10:28 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Is that carbon neutral? Why haven't I seen cars that run on ego? It's some kind of government conspiracy to keep us dependent on oil. Roswell!
  Ego produces harmful clouds of smug, a far worse pollutant than CO2.
  
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  I'm a good cook. I'm a fantastic eater. - Steven Brust
2. Re:a team fueled by ego by NatasRevol · 2012-02-29 10:29 · Score: 2
  
  Tesla?
  
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  There are two types of people in the world: Those who crave closure
Better headline... by GodfatherofSoul · 2012-02-29 10:21 · Score: 4, Funny

Scarlett to probe deep in Virgin trenches

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I swear to God...I swear to God! That is NOT how you treat your human!
Virgin by vlm · 2012-02-29 10:23 · Score: 4, Interesting

Something I've always wondered about that UK company, does the adjective virgin have the same connotation in the UK as it does here?
Or is it kind of like "I need a fag" means something completely different in the UK vs US?
Do all Virgin(TM) advertisements revolve around the inside breathless account of men penetrating deeply into the never before seen trench or cave or whatever female analogy they can scare up?

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"Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
1. Re:Virgin by Anubis+IV · 2012-02-29 10:43 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  From Wikipedia:
  
  The brand name "Virgin" arose when Branson and a partner were starting their first business, a record shop. They considered themselves virgins in business. The current Virgin logo was originally sketched on a paper napkin and remains largely unchanged since 1979.
  Of course, that sentence has [citation needed] on it on Wikipedia, so I won't dare claim that it's accurate.
  As for its meaning in the UK, I couldn't say. I live on the other side of the pond.
2. Re:Virgin by Inda · 2012-03-01 00:05 · Score: 2
  
  It's in Branson's autobiography, if I remember correctly. It's been a long time since I read it (15 years plus, probably).
  
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Quite the euphemism there. by sethstorm · 2012-02-29 10:29 · Score: 4, Funny

On Virgin's mission to the Mariana trench - will it be a gentle descent, or will they keep hammering the bottom?

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1. Re:Quite the euphemism there. by vlm · 2012-02-29 10:34 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  ... and what creature of the deep surfaces 9 months later... Godzilla!
  
  --
  "Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
2. Re:Quite the euphemism there. by Kozar_The_Malignant · 2012-02-29 11:36 · Score: 2
  
  Phnglui mglw nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah nagl fhtagn.
  This could be a serious mistake. Disturb the Great Old Ones at your peril.
  
  --
  Some mornings it's hardly worth chewing through the restraints to get out of bed.
Re:Hey by amoeba1911 · 2012-02-29 10:34 · Score: 5, Funny

No, they checked already in 1960, there is nothing but bottom dwelling invertebrates there too.
Re:Derring Do by arielCo · 2012-02-29 10:35 · Score: 3, Interesting

<pedant type="helpful" src="wikimedia">

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/derring-do

Etymology
From Middle English daring to do.

Noun
derring-do (uncountable)

1. Valiant deeds in desperate times.
2. Brave and adventurous, often reckless actions.

</pedant>

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This post contains no rudeness or derision of any kind. All arguments are friendly. Terms and exclusions may apply.
Leap Day by Michael+O-P · 2012-02-29 10:38 · Score: 2

I hope they don't disturb Leap Day William. I want to be able to exchange my tears for candy.

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I'm Peggy.
somehow disappointing by Kvasio · 2012-02-29 10:44 · Score: 4, Funny

somehow disappointing that in the story there are hyperlinks to various stuff, but "Scarlett Johansson" is just a plain text
Chris Welsh is 14 years old? by fahrbot-bot · 2012-02-29 10:51 · Score: 2, Funny

wants to name his sub "Scarlett" after Scarlett Johansson—that's how sexy this vehicle is
So... not that sexy? Perhaps that's a bit rough - she's okay - but seriously?
Offhand, I can easily think of several other women, and a couple of Italian motorcycles, that are way sexier. :-)

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It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
Re:Hey by Centurix · 2012-02-29 11:05 · Score: 2

They'll be under the pile of dead lawyers.

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Task Mangler
Re:marijuana trench by tnk1 · 2012-02-29 12:04 · Score: 3, Funny

That's like, so totally deep.
Quartz dome by SixDimensionalArray · 2012-02-29 12:28 · Score: 4, Insightful

I was interested in the sub's specs - the glass cockpit "dome" is apparently made of quartz. The only other subs with these kinds of domes that I've seen that can get to these depths without being crushed by the enormous pressures use some type of borosilicate glass. My understanding is the only difference between the two types of glass is the amount of silica (SiO2) in them.
Looks like a race to the bottom - I think the other company was Triton submarines that used the borosilicate glass domes. Whatever it is - it is fascinating to see the use of these materials which actually get stronger under pressure!
Re:Hey by giorgist · 2012-02-29 12:42 · Score: 4, Funny

> No, they checked already in 1960, there is nothing but bottom dwelling invertebrates there too.

lawyer convention ?

<insert rim shot >