Jiaolong Manned Submersible: A Decade’s Retrospect From 2002 to 2012

In July 2012, the People’s Republic of China successfully completed a 7,000-m dive in the Mariana Trench, deploying the Jiaolong manned submersible. It took only a decade for China to design, assemble, test, and launch its first national research submersible. The project was started in 2002, followed by 6 years of system design to integration, with dozens of domestic and foreign participants’ cooperation and contributions. Four sea trial cruises were carried out from 2009 to 2012 with the purpose of validating and upgrading system performance. During this time, the deepest dive was 7,062 m, which confirmed the system’s functionality and reliability. Although this research and development program has been very successful, it was a colossal project full of hardships and systematic challenges throughout the decade. This paper is a decade’s retrospect on Jiaolong’s research and development, including the project’s origin, organization and implementation, introduction to system performance, sea trial results, and future prospects.

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.4031/MTSJ.48.3.14
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/1623789
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Copyright © 2014 Marine Technology Society, Inc.
• Authors:
  • Liu, Feng
• Publication Date: 2014-5

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 6-16
• Serial:
  • Marine Technology Society Journal
  • Volume: 48
  • Issue Number: 3
  • Publisher: Marine Technology Society
  • ISSN: 0025-3324
  • Serial URL: http://ingentaconnect.com/content/mts/mtsj

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Case studies; Submersibles; Testing; Vehicle design
• Identifier Terms: Mariana Trench
• Uncontrolled Terms: Retrospective analysis
• Geographic Terms: China
• Subject Areas: Design; Marine Transportation; Vehicles and Equipment; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01532418
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 31 2014 9:04AM