This tiny submarine 2.4 miles under the sea, visiting the relics of RMS Titanic. Can it be found and the crew saved before the air runs out?

[matticus]

"I'm sore from sitting on this fence, but: they will have gained knowledge of how not to get people down to such depths."

Edited for accuracy

Ah, but they DID get them DOWN there, did they not?!? :P

Listen, i'm not saying this was a good, well-designed mission, but it is a fact that you learn something every time you push the boundaries.

Remember the 3 guys that got toasted on the ground in an early Apollo capsule? That looks a pretty stupid way to kill someone in hindsight .. but often that's how we learn stuff.

 

[rockyroller]

I think it's obscene that this was essentially a 'tourist' trip,

instant karma?

 

[PK99]

Ah, but they DID get them DOWN there, did they not?!? :P

Listen, i'm not saying this was a good, well-designed mission, but it is a fact that you learn something every time you push the boundaries.

Remember the 3 guys that got toasted on the ground in an early Apollo capsule? That looks a pretty stupid way to kill someone in hindsight .. but often that's how we learn stuff.

You pay people to take risks testing prototypes.....

 

[steveindenmark]

I find it astonishing that they let an unregulated vessel dive on the Titanic. There are hundreds of hours of titanic footage. It should be made a memorial site and all diving stopped.

As for this case. I have read about 10 accounts of people who have been down in this craft. I have not found one positive comment so far. "Suicide mission" is the most common one. The CEO and pilot had hopes of being the first to walk on Mars.

I think he was playing Russian roulette with a submersible and possibly did not have a full deck of cards.

I would not have got in it if he had offered me the money.

But then again. Climbing Everest also seems to fall into this egotistical, money grabbing venture.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Ah, but they DID get them DOWN there, did they not?!? :P

Listen, i'm not saying this was a good, well-designed mission, but it is a fact that you learn something every time you push the boundaries.

Remember the 3 guys that got toasted on the ground in an early Apollo capsule? That looks a pretty stupid way to kill someone in hindsight .. but often that's how we learn stuff.

I would normally agree, but remember this had not been through any certification process, nor what we should term 'formal' testing, so its tolerances and spec aren't known in the way that other submersibles routinely are - because we know x and y via testing. I sense therefore that our learnings are limited here.

 

[PK99]

I find it astonishing that they let an unregulated vessel dive on the Titanic. There are hundreds of hours of titanic footage. It should be made a memorial site and all diving stopped.

As for this case. I have read about 10 accounts of people who have been down in this craft. I have not found one positive comment so far. "Suicide mission" is the most common one. The CEO and pilot had hopes of being the first to walk on Mars.

I think he was playing Russian roulette with a submersible and possibly did not have a full deck of cards.

I would not have got in it if he had offered me the money.

Who is the mysterious "they"?
The World Government?

 

[steveindenmark]

Who is the mysterious "they"?
The World Government?

I am assuming that there is a regulatory body. Government, coastguard, maritime office.

After a quick search it appears to be:

. The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

 

[Drago]

And NASA have joined the list of organisations distancing themselves from this.

They say their involvement was remote consultation concerning CF production technques, and that they had no involvement in either the design, build or testing of the actual craft.

 

[FishFright]

I am assuming that there is a regulatory body. Government, coastguard, maritime office.

International waters so which government ?

 

[steveindenmark]

The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia have the rights over the Titanic site and can decide who dives there and who can take salvage from the Titanic.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Remember the 3 guys that got toasted on the ground in an early Apollo capsule? That looks a pretty stupid way to kill someone in hindsight .. but often that's how we learn stuff.

They learnt not to bolt them inside with no way for them to escape from a high oxygen environment.

 

[Alex321]

I find it astonishing that they let an unregulated vessel dive on the Titanic. There are hundreds of hours of titanic footage. It should be made a memorial site and all diving stopped.

How do "they" stop it?

It is international waters, so not subject to any national jurisdiction.

I tend to agree it should be regulated, but I don't honestly see how it could practically be done.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Ah, but they DID get them DOWN there, did they not?!? :P

As did the Titanic.

 

[Alex321]

The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia have the rights over the Titanic site and can decide who dives there and who can take salvage from the Titanic.

Sort of.

The US, UK, Canada and France have drawn up an agreement, and nder the terms of that agreement, they do.

But that is only 4 countries, who don't have much actual authority. And possibly more importantly, little power to enforce anything with respect to vessels not departing from one of those countries, unless they are going to permanently station some sort of enforcement ship in the area.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Listen, i'm not saying this was a good, well-designed mission, but it is a fact that you learn something every time you push the boundaries.

But do you take tourists, when pushing boundaries with unproven designs?

I don’t think posters are taking issues with pushing boundaries, and innovation, just the way the CEO went about it.