Samudrayaan Mission Overview
Earlier this month, two Indian “aquanauts” traveled into the Atlantic Ocean aboard the French vessel, Nautile, preparing for the Samudrayaan mission. The goal is to send three humans to a depth of 6,000 meters by 2027 as part of India's deep sea exploration initiatives.
Key Components and Objectives
- The Samudrayaan Mission is part of the Deep Ocean Mission, approved in 2021, aimed at exploring and sustainably using deep ocean resources with a budget of Rs. 4,077 crores over five years.
- The mission is coordinated by the National Institute of Ocean Technology, which is developing a submersible to carry three humans to 6,000 meters below sea level.
Matsya-6000
- The vehicle, Matsya-6000, designed to resemble a large fish, houses a personal sphere of 2.1 meters in diameter for human occupants.
- It can sustain three humans for 12-hour missions and up to 96 hours in emergencies.
- The personal sphere for deep-sea missions will be made of titanium alloy with 80mm thickness to withstand extreme pressures.
Challenges and Solutions
- Vehicle Development: Titanium alloy is used for the sphere due to its resilience, though rare. It's fabricated using precise electron beam welding.
- Life-Support Systems: These systems maintain 20% oxygen levels and manage carbon dioxide with scrubbers. They include packed re-breather oxygen systems for emergencies.
- Aquanaut Health: Aquanauts must be fit, with limited intake during missions due to space constraints.
- Acoustic Communication: India developed an acoustic telephone for underwater communication, overcoming challenges related to water temperature and salinity.
Rationale for Deep Sea Missions
- India's 7,517 km coastline supports a Blue Economy policy to harness unexplored deep ocean resources.
- It emphasizes the potential of unexplored domains in the deep sea and space for achieving India’s vision of Viksit Bharat.
- With the Samudrayaan mission, India aims to join the select few nations with deep sea exploration capabilities, such as the USA, Russia, China, Japan, and France.
