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Crowdfunded Effort Could Build World's 10th Deepest Diving Submersible

Posted by timothy on from the rapture-of-the-deep dept.

An anonymous reader writes with an optimistic, present-tense summary of a crowdfunding project to explore Earth's deep ocean: "The Ictineu 3 will be the 10th deepest diving submersible in the world when it is launched later this year. Compared to its deep diving peers, including Russia's Mirs, Japan's Shinkai 6500, the U.S.'s Alvin,and Cameron's Deep Sea Challenger submersibles, the Ictineu 3 was developed on a shoestring budget. The management partners are self-taught, without formal engineering education. Instead of massive government grants, the project has been funded by a trickle of small grants, sponsorships, and private donors. Along with Karl Stanley, the Ictineu team are heroes to the DIY submariners of the world."

12 of 27 comments (clear)

  1. Alternative Headlines... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Crowd Funded Submarine Fails To Get Funding

    Crowd Funded Submarine Never Makes It Off Drawing Board

    Crowd Funded Submarine Implodes On First Descent, No Survivors

  2. The problem with deep submersible projects... by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 1

    When they get into deep water, telling yourself "no pressure" isn't really helpful at all.

    --
    Ezekiel 23:20
  3. 10th? by dreamchaser · · Score: 1

    If it hasn't been launched and tested how can they say it 'will be' the 10th deepest diving sub ever?

    1. Re:10th? by Endovior · · Score: 1

      Untrue. It's totally possible for something to break up and be carried off by the currents without reaching the bottom. It takes craftsmanship to make a sub sturdy enough to sink properly.

  4. Big deal by PPH · · Score: 2

    "How deep will it dive?"

    "All the way to the bottom if we don't stop it."

    The real trick is to make it surface again.

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
    1. Re:Big deal by Razgorov+Prikazka · · Score: 1

      Yup! If you want a sub that can ONLY go to the bottom and never resurface, just hire a Spanish Engineer. Apparently they have some knowledge on that specific field.

      --
      rm -rf --no-preserve-root / ...and let /dev/null sort them out...
  5. Re:hi by HornWumpus · · Score: 1

    240 hours/month! Gotta have callouses.

    --
    John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
  6. Sounds like a redneck project. by jtownatpunk.net · · Score: 1

    ...without formal engineering education...

    What could possibly go wrong?

    1. Re:Sounds like a redneck project. by AlphaFreak · · Score: 1

      That (no engineering background) is not true. From TFA:

      "All the design work, the calculations and engineering systems have been done entirely in Catalonia, in collaboration with engineering companies that have shown a great capacity for innovation, research, and the ability to meet new challenges".

      Two of the four "leaders" have engineering background. One of them has experience in marine design. Engineering companies and students have cooperated in the project.

  7. Bold claim by dutchwhizzman · · Score: 1

    From what I understand, the submersible hasn't been under water in any significant depth. Already claiming it will be the 10th deepest diving (known) submersible if you don't have the 9th and/or the 11th or something similar already on your resume, is rather bold. For all we know, they might have goofed up and will not reach over 1/3 of their estimated depth due to some oversight. I wish them the best of luck, but design specs are hard to meet when a tiny mistake will turn your whole project into a crumpled ball of matter, filled with water in less than a second.

    --
    I was promised a flying car. Where is my flying car?
  8. Re:sinophobe much? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    and how exactly did it take the "world record" away from the Trieste and Cameron's subs? Does it somehow include a time machine or burrowing device?
    how do you "beat" a team who made it to the deepest possible spot in the ocean 50 years ago?

  9. Re:sinophobe much? by 2fuf · · Score: 1

    I don't get the beef you have with them not mentioning Jiaolong.
    Trieste and Deepsea Challenger went 3 km and 4 km deeper, that's over 42% and 57% more than Jiaolong's deepest manned dive.
    The only reason they call it a record it because it can do manned research deeper than those two, not because it actually goes deeper.

    You don't need ulterior political motives to consider Jiaolong in a different class. It's apples and oranges.