Source: IE
Context: Two Indian aquanauts recently dived over 5,000 metres in the Atlantic Ocean aboard the French submersible Nautile, as part of training for India’s Samudrayaan Project.
About Samudrayaan Project
What it is
- India’s first manned deep-sea mission under the Deep Ocean Mission (DOM) approved in 2021.
- It seeks to explore the ocean at depths up to 6,000 metres for resources, biodiversity, and scientific research.
Established in
- Approved by the Union Cabinet in 2021, with an outlay of ₹4,077 crore for five years.
- Develop deep-sea technologies – crewed submersibles, mining tools, and robotic vehicles.
- Survey ocean resources – locate polymetallic nodules rich in manganese, cobalt, nickel, and rare earths.
- Advance climate research – create ocean climate advisory models for projections.
- Strengthen blue economy – support sustainable harnessing of marine resources.
- Enhance biodiversity conservation – study and protect fragile deep-sea ecosystems.
Features
- Vehicle: Matsya-6000, a crewed submersible resembling a large fish.
- Capacity: Three aquanauts, 12-hour missions (96 hours in emergency).
- Personnel sphere: 2.1 m diameter, built from 80 mm titanium alloy, fabricated via electron beam welding by ISRO.
- Communication: Special acoustic telephone system developed indigenously.
- Life-support: Oxygen scrubbers and re-breather systems to recycle air.
- Depth capability: 6,000 metres, pressure resistance ~600 times sea level.
- Deep Ocean Mission (DOM) – umbrella scheme with six components including Samudrayaan.
- Polymetallic Nodule Programme – India holds mining rights in the Central Indian Ocean Basin from the International Seabed Authority.
- National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) – nodal agency for developing Matsya-6000.
- Blue Economy Policy – integrates ocean resources for economic and environmental goals.
