Matsya 6000: Spearheading the Deep Ocean Expedition Mission “Samudrayaan”
Following India’s successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the moon’s surface, India is now eyeing on Deep Ocean Expedition. To facilitate this mission, a specialized submersible vehicle named the Matsya 6000 is currently under construction. This cutting-edge vehicle will be employed by Indian researchers and explorers to explore into the depths of the ocean in search of rare minerals such as manganese, nickel, cobalt, copper, and iron hydroxide.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju shared a video and some pictures of the special manned submersible vehicle called Matsya 6000 on X (formerly Twitter). This submersible is a part of the program “Samudrayaan,” which is set to explore the deep ocean. The National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) in Chennai is building this vessel.
To ensure its resilience in the face of the immense oceanic pressures, the Matsya 6000 is being constructed using robust titanium alloy. The vehicle will take on a spherical shape with a diameter of 2.1 meters and a thickness of 80 millimeters, allowing it to withstand pressures of up to 600 bar.
With the deployment of the Matsya 6000 submersible, India would embark on its first human-led ocean exploration mission. This exploration will enable aquanauts to descend to depths of up to 6,000 meters beneath the ocean’s surface. The initial underwater expedition, however, is set to reach a depth of only 500 meters. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has assured that this expedition will be carried out with minimal impact on the marine habitat.
The Deep Ocean Expedition will comprise a team of three individuals who will explore ocean’s depths in the submersible. Their mission’s primary objectives include researching deep-sea resources and conducting assessments of marine biodiversity. This initiative is one of the visions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is part of the broader Deep Ocean Mission which aims to support the ‘Blue Economy.’
Next is “Samudrayaan”
This is ‘MATSYA 6000’ submersible under construction at National Institute of Ocean Technology at Chennai. India’s first manned Deep Ocean Mission ‘Samudrayaan’ plans to send 3 humans in 6-km ocean depth in a submersible, to study the deep sea resources and… pic.twitter.com/aHuR56esi7— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) September 11, 2023
This economic vision emphasizes the sustainable utilization of oceanic resources to promote economic growth, improve livelihoods, generate employment opportunities and safeguard the health of the ocean ecosystem.
The Samudrayaan program is an ambitious Indian undertaking focused on extensive exploration of the deep ocean, with a particular emphasis on India’s continental shelf and exclusive economic zones. As a pivotal component of this initiative, a multitude of both crewed and uncrewed submersibles will be deployed to investigate the ocean floor.
