Anyone heard anything about it? A very interesting read. https://www.businessinsider.com/submarine-to-visit-deepest-parts-of-the-ocean-in-five-deeps-expedition-2018-10
A short summary:
The world’s first manned expedition to the deepest point in each of the five oceans, and the ultimate validation of a unique deep-sea, manned research submersible. The Five Deeps Expedition is the first to attempt to reach the deepest point in each of the Earth’s five oceans: the Puerto Rico Trench in the Atlantic, South Sandwich Trench in the Southern Ocean, Java Trench in the Indian Ocean, Challenger Deep in the Pacific and Molloy Deep in the Arctic.
The expedition will traverse 40,000 nautical miles / 74,000 km in 11 months.
By the end of the expedition the sub will have descended through at least 72,000 m / 236,220 ft of water.
Up to 50 scientific lander deployments will be undertaken alongside the submersible dives.
No human has ever been to the bottom of the Java, Puerto Rico* or South Sandwich trenches.
No one has ever been to the bottom of Molloy Deep.
No manned submersible has ever been to Challenger Deep more than once.
No person has ever been to the summit of Mount Everest and also been to the bottom of the ocean at Challenger Deep, which could occur on this expedition.
The 48 million $ submersible vehicle called Triton is made mainly of Titanium and is able to change shape according to pressure.
The world’s first two-person, titanium-hulled submersible fully tested to 120% of full ocean depth (FOD) and commercially certified for thousands of dives. It is accompanied by a 68 meter dedicated research & exploration ship, a trio of advanced FOD-capable seafloor landers as well as an FOD-capable echo sounder and multi-beam sonar capable of mapping the sea floor – a technical Tour de Force.
The Five Deeps Expedition’s scientific program is led by renowned chief scientist Dr. Alan Jamieson, University of Newcastle, and will bring forth findings from never-before-explored depths to the global academic, oceanographic and environmental communities. The expedition provides the unprecedented opportunity to sample life across a gradient of depths, temperatures, salinity, food supply, latitude and in places around the world that were formed, split, or united millions of years ago by the shifting of the Earth’s tectonic plates.
GOALS
Find deep-sea features and habitats using high-resolution multibeam sonar
Learn what lives in those habitats using direct visitation by landers (Flere, Skaff and Closp) and submersible (Limiting Factor)
Discover how organisms survive in Hadal zones using the Pressure Drop’s onboard wet lab
Determine organisms’ role in each given ecosystem
Connect the Five Deeps through genetic differentiation of species found on the dives
Determine which “rules” the organisms follow including features, behaviors or characteristics of a species that are shared globally
Official website of the expedition: https://fivedeeps.com
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This looks so exciting!