Jitendra Singh launches India's unique manned ocean mission Samudrayan

Dr Jitendra Singh on Friday launched India's first manned ocean mission at Chennai.

Union Minister of State Dr Jitendra Singh on Friday launched India's first manned ocean mission Samudrayan at Chennai.

At the launch event, he said, "With the launch of this Unique Ocean Mission, India joins the elite club of nations such as the USA, Russia, Japan, France and China to have such underwater vehicles for carrying out subsea activities."

Dr Jitendra Singh said that this niche technology shall facilitate the Ministry of Earth Sciences, MoES in carrying out deep ocean exploration of the non-living resources such as polymetallic manganese nodules, gas hydrates, hydro-thermal sulphides and cobalt crusts, located at a depth between 1000 and 5500 meters.

He said, the preliminary design of the manned submersible MATSYA 6000 is completed and the realization of a vehicle is started with various organizations including ISRO, IITM and DRDO roped-in to support the development.

The Minister informed that sea trials of 500 metre rated shallow water version of the manned submersible are expected to take place in the last quarter of 2022 and the MATSYA 6000, the deepwater manned submersible will be ready for trials by the second quarter of 2024.

He said, "the advancing technologies in metallurgy, energy storage, underwater navigation and manufacturing facilities provides opportunity for developing more efficient, reliable and safe manned submersible."

Dr Jitendra Singh said that underwater vehicles are essential for carrying out subsea activities such as high resolution bathymetry, biodiversity assessment, geo-scientific observation, search activities, salvage operation and engineering support.

He said, "Even though unmanned underwater vehicles have improved manoeuvring and excellent vision systems resembling direct observation, manned submersible provides a feel of direct physical presence for researchers and has better intervention capability."

"With the advancing subsea technologies, the recent Fendouzhe manned submersible developed by China in 2020 has touched ~11000 m water depths," the Minister added.