India is gearing up for the launch of ‘Samudrayaan,’ its first manned submersible, named ‘Matsya-6000,’ designed to dive 6,000 meters into the Bay of Bengal with a three-person crew. Developed by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai, this submersible will allow India to join a select group of nations with crewed undersea expeditions beyond 5,000 meters. The objectives include studying chemosynthetic biodiversity in hydrothermal vents and methane seeps while promoting ocean tourism and literacy. ‘Matsya-6000’ boasts impressive features, such as 12-hour deep-sea operations, 80mm-thick titanium alloy construction, and an ultra-short baseline acoustic positioning system (USBL).
Facts/Terms for UPSC Prelims
- National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT): NIOT is the organization responsible for developing ‘Matsya-6000’ and plays a crucial role in India’s deep ocean exploration efforts, focusing on technological advancements for marine research.
- Chemosynthetic Biodiversity: This term refers to the diverse ecosystems that thrive around hydrothermal vents and methane seeps on the ocean floor, where organisms use chemical processes rather than sunlight for energy production.
- Blue Economy: The Blue Economy policy, supported by the Deep Ocean Mission, aims to promote sustainable economic development by harnessing the potential of marine resources, including fisheries, aquaculture, and oceanic research.
- Mothership: In this context, a mothership is a larger vessel that carries the submersible and transponder, facilitating communication and tracking of the submersible’s location during deep-sea missions.
- Central Government’s Deep Ocean Mission: Part of India’s broader ocean exploration initiatives, this mission is led by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) and aims to comprehensively study deep ocean resources and assess biodiversity without disturbing the ecosystem.