James Cameron, director of such epic films as Avatar and Titanic is also renowned for his trip to Challenger Deep, which is located at the bottom of the Mariana Trench, in a submersible craft called Deepsea Challenger. Mr. Cameron had the craft specially built at a cost of approximately $10 million USD; while he collected many intriguing specimens along with some spectacular footage on his epic journey into the depths of the ocean, he didn’t feel the Deepsea Challenger’s adventures should end with him. In a characteristic display of good will toward the scientific community, the renowned filmmaker donated his vessel to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts.
The Future of Deepsea Challenger
Deepsea Challenger (DCV 1) is the deepest-diving submersible ever built. Measuring just 24 feet long and designed to hold a single person, the craft is equipped with high-definition 3D cameras, an incredible array of lighting equipment, and equipment for collecting scientific samples. It was built in Australia and interestingly, the team of engineers and developers who worked on the craft includes many prominent cave divers with years of experience under their belts. Not only did team leader Ron Allum work to create new materials including a structural foam called Isofloat which is capable of withstanding massive compression, he and the rest of his team developed many other innovative solutions specifically for Deepsea Challenger. Among them are pressure balanced oil-filled thrusters, LED arrays, improved communications systems, and even special power systems housed inside the Isofloat.
During dives, Deepsea Challenger sends detailed information on pressure, temperature, battery status, and more back to its surface support vessel every three minutes. It’s vertical design and torpedo-like shape allows it to dive rapidly, and it differs from previous deepwater submersibles in that it is not designed for horizontal travel. This engineering marvel has already done an incredible amount of work for the scientific community, and now that it has been donated to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, it is slated to be of even more assistance.
The Deepsea Challenger should have been delivered to Woods Hole in June of 2013, and though it will be maintained for operational readiness, its primary mission will not be to take solo explorers like Cameron into the deep; instead, it will be used mostly as a tool for increasing understanding among researchers. James Cameron told interviewers that the craft’s ideal outcome would be to “get the technology out there, to capitalize on the engineering advances to the highest possible degree.”
It’s no surprise that Deepsea Challenger has been given over to the professionals at Woods Hole for safekeeping. The institute has played a pivotal role in submersible development in the past, and is in fact responsible for pioneering the development of these vital tools for scientific research. Their craft Alvin is well known for its work in filming images of the Titanic in her final resting place, and it has been used for exploring deep ocean ecosystems as well.
Whether James Cameron dives in Deepsea Challenger again is up to him; where the craft will go next is up to the scientists at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. But what is clear is that the submersible’s incredible voyages are not at an end. We look forward to seeing and hearing more about the discoveries it will help oceanographers make – wherever they may be.