India's ambitious deep-sea exploration project, Matsya-6000, has successfully completed its wet testing, marking a significant milestone in the country's underwater exploration capabilities. Developed under the Samudrayaan Project, a component of the Deep Ocean Mission, Matsya-6000 is a fourth-generation deep-ocean submersible designed to accommodate three humans within its spherical hull.

The wet testing, conducted at L&T Shipbuilding in Kattupalli Port from January 27 to February 12, 2025, involved both manned and unmanned dives to assess the submersible's power and control systems, floatation stability, and life-support systems.

Matsya-6000, India's first deep-sea human submersible, is designed to dive to a depth of 6,000 meters and features several key technologies and systems:

Hull And Design: It has a compact 2.1-meter diameter spherical hull made from a strong titanium alloy, capable of housing three humans. The hull is designed to withstand extreme underwater pressure.

Subsystems

  Main Ballast System: For diving and surfacing.
  Thrusters: Allow movement in all directions.
  Battery Bank: Provides power.
  Syntactic Foam: Used for buoyancy.

Communication Systems

  Acoustic Modem: For underwater communication.
  Underwater Telephone: Enables voice communication.
  VHF And GPS: For precise location tracking.

Life Support And Sensors

  Advanced Life Support Systems: Ensure a safe atmosphere for the crew.
  Navigation Joysticks: For precise control.
  Oceanographic Sensors: For data collection.
  Underwater Lighting And Cameras: For observation and documentation.

Additional Features

  Robotic Arms: For sample collection.
  High-Resolution Imaging Systems: For detailed observations.
  Propellers: Allow movement in six directions.
  Emergency Endurance: Up to 96 hours.

Key Features of Matsya-6000

Material: Made from an 80mm-thick titanium alloy, which is strong and fracture-resistant, ideal for withstanding extreme underwater pressures.
Endurance: Offers 12 hours of normal operation and up to 96 hours in emergency situations.
Design: Compact 2.1-meter diameter spherical hull, accommodating three humans.
Technology: Equipped with advanced life support systems, navigation devices, and communication systems.

Matsya-6000, India's first deep-sea human submersible, is designed to dive to a depth of 6,000 meters, placing it among the elite group of submersibles capable of such extreme depths. Here's how it compares to other notable deep-sea submersibles:

Comparison With Other Submersibles

Titan Submersible: Unlike the Titan, which was made of carbon fibre and suffered a tragic implosion, Matsya-6000 uses titanium for enhanced safety. The Titan was lighter and more affordable but lacked the robustness needed for extreme depths.

Other Deep-Sea Submersibles: Only a few countries like France, the US, China, Russia, and Japan have developed submersibles capable of similar depths. Matsya-6000 is lighter and more cost-efficient compared to some of these, thanks to the use of "off-the-shelf" components.

Operational Depth: Matsya-6000 is designed to reach 6,000 meters, comparable to the deepest-diving submersibles globally. This capability positions India among the leaders in deep-sea exploration.

Advantages of Matsya-6000

Indigenous Development: It is an indigenous project under the Samudrayaan mission, showcasing India's technological capabilities in underwater engineering.

Advanced Safety Features: The use of titanium and redundant systems ensures enhanced safety for its crew.

Scientific Capabilities: Equipped with advanced sensors and instruments for deep-sea mineral exploration and scientific research.

Manned And Unmanned Tests

The tests included eight dives, with five being unmanned and three manned, to evaluate the submersible's performance in real oceanic conditions.

The emergency endurance of Matsya-6000 is up to 96 hours. This means that in case of an emergency, the submersible is equipped to support its crew for an additional 96 hours beyond its normal operational endurance of 12 hours, extending the total potential endurance to 108 hours.

Despite some limitations in underwater communication due to the restricted harbour depth, the tests confirmed that Matsya-6000 is on track for future demonstrations in deeper waters.

The next milestone for the submersible includes demonstration dives to depths of up to 500 meters by the end of 2025, paving the way for further explorations towards its maximum depth of 6,000 meters.

Matsya-6000 is equipped with advanced technologies, including a main ballast system, thrusters, a battery bank, syntactic foam for buoyancy, and sophisticated control systems, navigation devices, and communication systems.

The submersible is part of India's broader Deep Ocean Mission, which aims to develop technologies for harnessing living and non-living resources from the deep oceans, aligning with the country's vision of becoming self-reliant in underwater exploration.

The successful completion of the wet tests has bolstered confidence in India's ability to conduct deep-sea missions with human crew, positioning the country among the few nations capable of such feats.

IDN