ISRO helping send man 6,000 metres deep into ocean

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), that is known for sending satellites out into space, including the manned mission Gaganyaan, is now helping to build a specialised sphere for a manned mission to 6,000 metres deep into the ocean, the Parliament was told on Thursday.

Under the 'Deep Ocean Mission' launched by the government, a manned scientific submersible has been proposed to be developed for deep ocean exploration and the project is named 'Samudrayaan', Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Minister, Dr Jitendra Singh told Rajya Sabha in a written reply.

The National Institute of Ocean Technology, an autonomous Institute under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, had earlier developed and tested a "personnel sphere" for a manned submersible system for 500 metre water depth rating, he said.

"That personnel sphere of 2.1m diameter to be used as a crew module up to 500 m water depth has been developed using mild steel and tested up to 600 m water depth in the Bay of Bengal using the research Vessel Sagar Nidhi during October 2021.

"One Titanium alloy personnel sphere for manned submersible system for 6,000 metre water depth rating, is under development in association with Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, ISRO, Thiruvananthapuram," he added.

India has planned to send a manned mission to space and to the bottom of the ocean at the same time - roughly, 2024 - with the funding to the tune of Rs 4,100 crore for Deep Ocean Mission setting the tone.