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Sir Richard Branson Quietly Shelves Virgin Submarine Plan

Posted by samzenpus on from the under-the-sea dept.

An anonymous reader writes with news that Sir Richard Branson's goal of diving to the deepest part of the ocean has been put on indefinite hold. "Sir Richard Branson has quietly shelved his latest adventure: an ambitious plan to pilot a submarine to the deepest points of the world's five oceans. The entrepreneur had a grand scheme to explore both space and sea. But his plan for the first rocket ship charging passengers for trips to the edge of space is in jeopardy after the craft crashed during a test flight, killing a pilot. Now Sir Richard's dream of exploring the lowest points on Earth is also on hold. Virgin Oceanic's DeepFlight Challenger submarine was unveiled in a blaze of publicity in April 2011, with Sir Richard describing its mission as 'the last great challenge for humans.' He had hoped the 18ft-long submarine, designed to 'fly' along the ocean floor, would make its maiden voyage to the bottom of the Pacific's Mariana Trench – at a depth of 36,000ft, the lowest known point on Earth – by the end of 2011, or failing that, by 2012."

47 comments

  1. I hope that by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This will bring my dreams of a real life Liru closer to reality. I can just imagine all the wonderful adventures we can embark upon.

    1. Re:I hope that by ArcadeMan · · Score: 1

      What do submarines have to do with Liru? (should be SFW)

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  2. Simpsons did it by ArcadeMan · · Score: 4, Informative

    Maybe he should ask James Cameron to borrow his deep-diving submersible.

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  3. pretty sure by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    pretty sure space is the last great challenge. just got a hunch about it.

    1. Re:pretty sure by The+Grim+Reefer · · Score: 1

      pretty sure space is the last great challenge. just got a hunch about it.

      I'm Pretty sure it's death actually. I don't know of anyone who has overcome that yet.

    2. Re:pretty sure by Immerman · · Score: 2

      Well, there are many legends about various individuals who did such a thing. However, if there's any truth to the legends then those individuals are obviously keeping a low profile these days. Can't say I'd blame them - they'd probably start a war between those who would make them laboratory subjects and those who would make them gods. And I can't imagine either option would actually be very appealing, at least after the first few centuries.

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    3. Re:pretty sure by morgauxo · · Score: 1

      Just wait and it will come. Where's the challenge?

    4. Re:pretty sure by Gary · · Score: 1

      They're keeping a low profile, at least until The Gathering...

  4. No so easy as throwing money at it, is it? by TWX · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I guess Mr. Branson is discovering that applied science and engineering is a little harder than telling one's vision to one's lieutenants and instructing them to make it happen.

    The Apollo programme was 4% of GDP, by itself. If I understand correctly, to date it has been the most expensive and ambitious applied sciences and engineering project that mankind has ever undertaken. I commend those that want to push the private bounds to recreate Apollo-type objectives, but even with techological improvements and increased knowledge from learning from the past it'll still be VERY expensive and VERY difficult.

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    1. Re:No so easy as throwing money at it, is it? by Viol8 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      If he actually threw money at these stunts it might help, but everything he does is on a - relatively - shoestring budget. Branson is really nothing more than a publicity seeker. If something works he gets all the kudos while the people who did the actual work you never hear about. And if it doesn't , well he'll just smile than kilowatt smile and do the whole humble awww-shucks-can't-win-em-all schtick and quietly steer the media onto his next stunt. Its getting really tedious.

    2. Re:No so easy as throwing money at it, is it? by jellomizer · · Score: 1

      Right now in this political environment, progress will only happen with the few crazy err umm eccentric folks. With the money and resources to attempt it.

      Now unlike the government failure is an option. Branson lost a test ship, so he just as a PR issue to fix. If this happened on a government funded watch, you will have congressional hearing (which will never turn out good) The guy who can't point his finger down will take the blame. The next years budget will get cut.

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    3. Re:No so easy as throwing money at it, is it? by wagnerrp · · Score: 4, Informative

      The Apollo programme was 4% of GDP, by itself

      The Apollo program cost ~$20B, over the better part of a decade, during a time when the US GDP was rose from around $600B to $1T. So, it used roughly 0.3% of the GDP over that time period.

    4. Re:No so easy as throwing money at it, is it? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      But did they use heat-modulated transistors in the AGC? Inquiring minds want to know.

    5. Re:No so easy as throwing money at it, is it? by DerekLyons · · Score: 4, Informative

      The Apollo programme was 4% of GDP, by itself.

      4% of the Federal budget, not GDP - and even then, it only touched that value for two years.

    6. Re:No so easy as throwing money at it, is it? by kellymcdonald78 · · Score: 2

      Actually the cost of Apollo is dwarfed by the F-35 program. Apollo was about $110 Billion in current dollars (about the same price as ISS), the F-35 program is $1.5 trillion.

    7. Re:No so easy as throwing money at it, is it? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      guess those sunken costs got at his business plan

  5. Good! by iamacat · · Score: 1

    Space exploration is a pretty good challenge on it's own. He should focus and bring it to practical success and then consider having more grand plans.

    1. Re:Good! by Provocateur · · Score: 1

      PR or not, you have to hand it to the man for dreaming big when we all decided the other way. Sure, you're not going to hit 100% on ALL your targets. But the ones that *do hit will be the ones that matter.

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  6. Alternative headline by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Virgin's Virgin Deep Dive Takes a Deep Dive"

  7. Can't say I'm surprised by Viol8 · · Score: 2

    Branson has a track record of seriously underestimating the difficulty of the challenges he picks. Plus he seems to believe he can replicate serious engineering achievements - eg space flight - on a shoestring budget. Well sorry, but you can't. And I suspect the same goes for his submersible. Diving down 7 miles takes some seriously well thought out and strong engineering, not just some recreational sub with a few extra inches thickness of hill.

    1. Re:Can't say I'm surprised by Registered+Coward+v2 · · Score: 2

      Branson has a track record of seriously underestimating the difficulty of the challenges he picks. Plus he seems to believe he can replicate serious engineering achievements - eg space flight - on a shoestring budget. Well sorry, but you can't. And I suspect the same goes for his submersible. Diving down 7 miles takes some seriously well thought out and strong engineering, not just some recreational sub with a few extra inches thickness of hill.

      Very true. Submarines are very complex craft that operate in a very hostile environment, and driving one takes skill, practice and teamwork. Flying along the ocean floor may sound fun and straightforward, and it is until you accidentally hit something and Davy Jones starts letting his water into your people tank.

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    2. Re:Can't say I'm surprised by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Submarines are difficult to design, but underwater collisions are a very minor risk, relative to all of the other things involved.

    3. Re:Can't say I'm surprised by ColdWetDog · · Score: 2

      What's really interesting about this tale is that is was designed for Steve Fossett, a friend of Branson's for a single dive into the Marianas trench. It was bought off of his estate (along with a catamaran mother craft) for a measly one million dollars. At that price, one of the oceanographic institutions should have picked it up as it would be pretty useful for shallower dives - lots of interesting places in the ocean not quite as deep.

      But Branson, the PR hack that he is, wanted to take it down repeatedly to abyssal trench depth, something the designers had hissy fits about. Seems silly. Not much to see at the very deeps. Much more fun at a couple of hundred feet. If you want to scare yourself, you can just book passage on a Nigerian ferry or similar foolish stunt.

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    4. Re:Can't say I'm surprised by halivar · · Score: 1

      Well, if some rich guy is going to throw his wealth away, I'd rather he did it this way than on a personal zoo and a diamond-crusted Ferrari.

    5. Re:Can't say I'm surprised by halivar · · Score: 1

      Although, I have to admit, if *I* was rich I'd take the diamond-crusted Ferrari.

    6. Re:Can't say I'm surprised by wagnerrp · · Score: 1

      Branson has a track record of seriously underestimating the difficulty of the challenges he picks. Plus he seems to believe he can replicate serious engineering achievements - eg space flight - on a shoestring budget.

      You're overestimating the capability of SpaceShipOne/Two. It goes to space for all of a couple minutes. It does not go to orbit. The engineering requirements aren't nearly as tough. We've been sending unmanned vehicles up there since the early 40's, and manned ones up since the late 50's, back when NASA was still called NACA.

    7. Re:Can't say I'm surprised by pherthyl · · Score: 1

      Not to mention his bullshit about fighting global warming with a $3B investment. Collected all the publicity and goodwill when he made that announcement and never followed through or did anything of significance

    8. Re:Can't say I'm surprised by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yea, but where could you park it?

  8. Re: Yes, and... by taiwanjohn · · Score: 1

    No one will ever need more than 640 kB of memory for a personal computer...

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  9. under the sea by moondo · · Score: 1

    When the impact of this news sinks in Virgin's stocks are going to take a dive...

    (So sorry)

  10. Stick to Kite-Surfing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Submarines are so boring. Dick knows that kite-surfing is the way to go.

  11. The Virgin Submarine Plan by Ronin+Developer · · Score: 1

    Sounds like a really bad porn movie.

  12. SIR richard SIR richard _[_SIR-_]_ richard SIR SIR by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Quit calling him this. "Ooh aah I sound cool because he's a sir which I don't hear much round these parts so I wanna sound cool like calling him SIR you know like SIR ELTON JOHN or SIR PAUL MCCARTNEY. I like how the sir part sounds. I won't bother to call anyone Mr. or Mrs. but you can bet your right butt cheek I'll call him SIR!"
     
    captcha: sir

  13. Lazy headline writers - where's the "Deep Six"? by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 5, Funny

    >> Sir Richard Branson Quietly Shelves Virgin Submarine Plan

    "Quietly shelves"...really? From the department of less crappy headlines, here's a couple of freebies:

    "Branson Deep Sixes Own Submarine Mission"
    "What Do Sir Richard Branson and the Red October Have in Common?"
    "Virgin Dive Aborted Before Anything Gets Wet"

    1. Re:Lazy headline writers - where's the "Deep Six"? by frank_adrian314159 · · Score: 1

      Virgin Submarine Plan - the "Eaten Alive" of enterprises...

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      That is all.
    2. Re:Lazy headline writers - where's the "Deep Six"? by Applehu+Akbar · · Score: 1

      And why don't we have a Seawater Nutter Troll?

    3. Re:Lazy headline writers - where's the "Deep Six"? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The submarine plan may be gone, but submarine puns live on.

  14. Lazy headline writers - where's the by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    At the very least: Sir Richard Branson Quietly Sinks Virgin Submarine Plan

  15. suck it up and lets move on people. by JustNiz · · Score: 1

    >> his plan ... for trips to the edge of space is in jeopardy after the craft crashed during a test flight, killing a pilot.

    This is ridiculous. One death and a whole project is in jepaoardy? If previoyus generation had been so risk-averse, the whole of mankind would have never have gotten anywhere. No cars, planes, or even basic surgery.
    Suck it up, learn from it and and lets move on, people.

    1. Re:suck it up and lets move on people. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Suck it up, learn from it and and lets move on, people.

      Sometimes, learning and moving on does in fact involve shelving of plans and walking away.

  16. or... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    he got told by some one he cant go there.... might be something we arnt allowed to know about....

  17. Re:SIR richard SIR richard _[_SIR-_]_ richard SIR by ArcadeMan · · Score: 1

    Why are you telling me this? Did you reply to the wrong comment?

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  18. Virgin submarines? by JasonGoatcher · · Score: 1

    I didn't even know they could have sex.

    Rule 42 people, get on it.

  19. American pie by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Virgin Dive Aborted ...

    Now I'm thinking of the muff-diving scene in 'American pie'.

  20. Re:SIR richard SIR richard _[_SIR-_]_ richard SIR by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    No, sorry, just making the comment visible. Slashdong is retarded, brah.

  21. Think global! by NetNed · · Score: 1

    He probably doesn't want to disturb all that deep under water methane!

  22. More appropriate headline by terrywirth5 · · Score: 1

    Sir Richard Branson Quietly Sinks Virgin Submarine Plan. I threw up in my mouth when I typed Sir and Virgin.