2023-06-21 17:42:40
It is very narrow and has the largest port of view and a toilet … Here are the details of the submarine “Titan”
Search teams led by the United States, with the help of Canada and France, continue their race against time to find the missing submarine “Titan”, which disappeared near the wreckage of the “Titanic” at a depth of about 4,000 meters below the surface of the North Atlantic Ocean, with 5 people on board.
So what do we know about Titan?
First of all, the submarine, which is operated by the marine company “OceanGate Expeditions”, is one of the only manned submarines in the world that is privately owned and capable of reaching depths of up to 4,000 meters below sea level, according to the BBC in a detailed report on the submarine.
While OceanGate has also operated another submarine named Cyclops since 2015, the Titan was built by the company to allow tourists to visit the wreck of the Titanic, which lies 3,800 meters below the surface, according to the network.
According to the company, the Titan weighs about 23,000 pounds (10,432 kilograms) and has a 5-inch (13-centimetre) carbon fiber body reinforced by two domed titanium shells.
Titan is capable of reaching a depth of 4,000 meters (13,123 feet) below sea level, which is much more than the ability of the USS Dolphin submarine, which is capable of reaching a depth of 900 meters below sea level.
Photo published by the company, “Oceangate” of the submarine
Unlike other submarines, Titan has limited power reserves and needs a separate support vessel to launch and recover it, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Once detached from the launch and recovery platform, the submarine’s four electric thrusters help it reach speeds of about 3 mph (4 km/h).
And “Titan” began sea trials in 2018, before it began its inaugural voyage in 2021. And last year, it made ten dives, although not all of them were to see the wreck of the Titanic, according to the network.
Who’s on Titan?
Of the five people who were on Titan, four have been confirmed so far:
British businessman and explorer Hamish Harding (58 years old).
Harding announced he would be joining the team earlier this month, and said the crew on board the submarine included “two legendary explorers.”
Mr. Harding is the President of Action Aviation, an international company dealing with sales and operations in the business aviation industry, headquartered in Dubai.
The Explorers Club, of which Mr Harding is a founding member, shared an optimistic message after the discovery of the sounds, saying the “possible signs of life” were “reason for hope”.
British-Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood, 48, and his son Suleiman, 19.
Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleiman (AFP)
French explorer Paul Henri Nargolet (77 years old).
Paul Henry Nargolet (Reuters)
A family spokesman confirmed to the BBC that the French explorer was on board.
The explorer, nicknamed “Mr. Titanic”, is a former diver in the French Navy, and is said to have spent more time on the wreck of the “Titanic” than any other explorer.
The fifth is the CEO of the company that owns the submarine “Ocean Gate”, Stockton Rush, the company confirmed
Stockton Rush, CEO of Oceangate (AP)
What does “Titan” look like from the inside?
According to the BBC report, the submarine itself is very cramped, measuring 670 cm x 280 cm x 250 cm (22 ft x 9.2 ft x 8.3 ft), and can carry a crew of only five, consisting of a captain and four passengers. .
Because of its small size, passengers have to sit on the floor with limited space to move around.
At the bow of the submarine, a large, domed hatch provides a vantage point, which the company asserts is “the largest viewing port of any manned deep-sea sub.”
Inside Titan (AMERICAN PHOTO ARCHIVE/ALAMY)
Also, the walls of the submarine are heated as conditions can get very cold when you reach the depths of the sea. The only lighting on board the “Titan” is through lamps installed on the wall.
Unlike submarines, Titan includes a private customer toilet in the forward part of the sub. A small curtain is pulled back when in use while the skipper plays some music to disguise it.
However, the company’s website recommends “restricting the diet before and during a dive to reduce the likelihood of needing to use the bathroom.”
The submarine is also equipped with powerful external lights used to illuminate the wreckage of the Titanic.
Titan (AFP)
Several 4K cameras are also attached to the submarine’s exterior, and a laser scanner and external sonar are used to map the wrecked ship.
Inside, the crew can watch Titanic on a large digital display while reviewing data collected on several tablets.
Also, Titan has about 96 hours of oxygen reserve on board, but this will be affected by the crew’s breathing rate.
The company admits that much of the interior is made up of “off-the-shelf technology” which it says has “helped simplify construction, and makes it easier to operate and replace parts in the field.”
How is the submarine “Titan” controlled?
GPS is not an option when submarines are in the deep sea like Titan. Instead, a private text messaging system allows the crew to receive instructions from the team on the surface ship above. The captain steers the submarine, based on these instructions, using a modified video game controller.
Stockton Rush grabs the controller
The manufacturer’s president, Stockton Rush, told CBS News last year that the experience of piloting a submarine “should not require a lot of skill”.
According to the BBC, diving to see the wreck of the Titanic, including the descent and ascent, takes eight hours.
What safety measures are in place?
Titan must contend with the enormous pressure exerted by the oceans at such depths.
According to OceanGate, Titan has a real-time ship monitoring system. It contains sensors to analyze the effects of pressure changes on the submarine during a dive, in order to assess the integrity of the hull.
Before Titan begins to dive, the support team gets the crew into the sub and closes the hatch from the outside with 17 screws.
But the BBC noted that in 2018, submarine experts expressed “unanimous concern” about the experimental approach Oceangate took when building Titan and warned of potentially “catastrophic” problems in its design.
In a letter to Rush unearthed by The New York Times, the Marine Technology Association said the company was making “misleading” claims about its design exceeding applicable industry safety standards.
Submarine Captain Randy Holt (AP)
What training did the crew have?
According to OceanGate on its website, customers do not need any previous diving experience to board Titan.
The company says any training required to participate is provided online prior to departure.
Customers must be 18 years and over, able to sit indoors for extended periods of time and able to climb stairs.
Ocean Gate logo (AFP)
All passengers are provided with a safety briefing and ship orientation session, according to the company.
Then, the company says, “you can choose how you want to participate in the flight,” giving customers the chance to work with communications teams or assist the pilot with navigation.
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