After the successful projects of ISRO’s lunar mission Chandrayaan-3 and solar mission Aditya-1, India is now all set to launch the country’s first manned deep ocean mission ‘Samudrayaan’ to study deep ocean resources like metals, minerals and biodiversity.
Earth Science Minister Kiren Rijiju shared details of Samudrayaan, “India’s first manned deep ocean mission ‘Samudrayaan’ plans to send 3 men to 6 km ocean depth in a submarine, to study deep sea resources and assess biodiversity.” Rijiju added that the Samudrayan mission will not disturb the ocean ecosystem.
Next is “Samudrayaan”. This is the submarine ‘MATSYA 6000’ under construction at the National Institute of Ocean Technology, Chennai. India’s first manned deep ocean mission ‘Samudrayaan’ plans to send 3 men in a submarine to a depth of 6 km ocean, to study deep sea resources and… pic.twitter.com/aHuR56esi7
— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju)
September 11, 2023
“The Deep Ocean Mission supports Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji’s ‘Blue Economy’ vision and envisages the sustainable use of ocean resources for the country’s economic growth, improving living conditions and jobs, and preserving the health of the ocean ecosystem,” he stressed.
What is Samudrayan Mission?
The Samudrayan mission is India’s first manned ocean mission to explore the deep ocean. It is a project of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) under the Deep Ocean Mission and is being developed by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) in Chennai. The objective of the mission is to send three people to a depth of 6000 meters in a submarine called MATSYA 6000.
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The significance of the Samudraj mission
Understanding the seas would also go a long way in mitigating the climate change crisis. The objective of the mission is to support the Government of India’s Blue Economy Initiatives and subsequently help India achieve the target of over Rs. 100 billion “Blue Economy” through its ocean resources.
India was allotted an area of 75,000 square kilometers. in the Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB) by the UN’s International Seabed Authority for the exploitation of polymetallic nodules (PMN). By only using 10% of the PMN reserves available in the area, the country can meet its energy needs for the next 100 years, according to a statement from the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
Who developed the Samudrayan Mission?
The National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai, an autonomous institute under the Ministry of Education and Science, has developed the 6000m depth-assessment Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) ‘Matsya 6000’ and various other underwater instruments such as the Autonomous Coring System (ACS ), Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) and Deep Sea Mining System (DSM) for deep sea exploration.
Key features of ‘Matsya 6000’
The submarine is made of 80 mm thick titanium alloy and has a sphere with a diameter of 2.1 meters to withstand a pressure of 600 bar at a depth of 6000 meters underwater, which will be 600 times the pressure at sea level. The submarine has an endurance of up to 12 hours and an emergency endurance of 96 hours.
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What is the cost of Samudrayan mission?
The Cabinet approved the Deep Ocean Mission at a total estimated cost of Rs 4,077 crore for the two phases of the mission period from 2021 to 2026. The budget allocated so far is Rs 1,400 crore, out of which Rs 405.92 crore has already been disbursed and expenditure of Rs 225.35 crore has been incurred.
Samudryaan mission launch date
On June 16, 2021, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the proposal of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) on “Deep Ocean Mission”. The Deep Ocean Mission was launched in October 2021 as a Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
As part of the mission, a deep-water autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) or Ocean Mineral Explorer (OMe 6000) was deployed for research. A deep-sea mineral survey was conducted by an OMe 6000 AUV during December 2022 using the research vessel Sagar Nidhi at a polymetallic manganese nodule (PMN) location at a depth of 5271 mu in the International Seabed Authority’s Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB) assigned area.
Indian scientists have been developing and testing a submarine called the Matsya 6000 for the past two years. The Matsya 6000 will undergo its first unmanned sea trials in the Bay of Bengal off the coast of Chennai in early 2024. The mission is expected to be completed by 2026.
M Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences said, “The Samudrayan mission is underway as part of the Deep Ocean mission. In the first quarter of 2024, we will conduct sea trials at a depth of 500 meters.”
Objectives of Samudrayan Mission
- The study of deep-sea life, including its diversity, distribution, and ecology.
- To investigate the distribution of polymetallic nodules, which are rich in minerals such as copper, nickel and cobalt.
- Study the impact of climate change on the ocean, such as changes in temperature, acidity and circulation.
- To develop India’s capabilities in deep-sea research and exploration, as well as to develop underwater vehicles and underwater robotics.
- Develop sea-based desalination techniques, renewable energy production techniques and provide clean drinking water and explore ways of water desalination.
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Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education