Deep-sea Exploring Submarines - Virgin Oceanic

Last tuesday, Sir Richard Branson, British billionaire, pilot and explorer launched Virgin Oceanic a project to explore "the last frontiers of our own Blue Planet- the very bottom of our seas."
The project includes a partnership with Google: "Using their mapping technology, Google hopes to report the dives as they happen and share discoveries, footage and greater achievements with the world."

Graham Hawkes submarine designer

Graham Hawkes, has designed and built over sixty manned submersibles andmore than 350 Remote Operated Vehicles. Graham Hawkes is known for his innovative use of materials and systems. His underwater vehicles include the innovative Atmospheric Diving Suits and Remote Operated Vehicles, which dominated the offshore oil industry segment in the 1970s. The Deep Rover series for science and exploration, most recently used by filmmaker, James Cameron in the IMAX film, "Aliens of the Deep;" the Deep Flight series of submersibles; and the design/build of the experimental protoype DeepFlight Challenger, the only full ocean depth manned vehicle. He is recognized world-wide as a pioneer in innovating state of the art solutions for ocean access. 


Virgin Oceanic's Submarine

Virgin Oceanic's Submarine is the only piloted craft in existence that has 'full ocean depth' capability. The one person craft has an operating depth of 37,000ft and is capable of operating for 24hrs without any outside help. Once fully descended, the submarine's hydroplanes (the equivalent of wings for submarines) and thrusters will allow it to 'fly' up to 10km over the ocean floor whilst collecting video and data, something submersibles could only dream of.  

At these depths, each individual part of the submarine must be able to withstand enormous pressures, 1500 times that of an aeroplane, and protect its pilot from the extreme conditions just inches away. As Sir Richard and each pilot of the submarine to the bottom of our planet, they will be well aware that should anything go wrong, there is no rescue team that can reach them; whilst backed up by a mission crew, once at depth, the pilot and craft are alone.

Full pressure testing will be conducted over the next three months. 

The craft will cruise at a max of 3 knots and can dive 350ft per minute, with a dive to the bottom of the Mariana trench and back estimated to take five hours. 

"Virgin Oceanic will expand the reach of human exploration on our planet. By promoting and utilising new technology Virgin Oceanic will aid human kind's ability to explore our Oceans, assist science in understanding our eco system and raise awareness of the challenges facing our Oceans."  Sir Richard Branson April 2011"