Titan: All FAQs about the Titanic submersible with its capacity and other details
4 min read 20 Jun 2023, 06:45 PM ISTThe goal of the expedition was to chronicle the Titanic's deterioration and the underwater ecosystem that shipwrecks often spawn
PremiumA submersible carrying five people to tour the wreck of the Titanic on the Atlantic seabed went missing on Sunday. The dive craft’s command ship lost contact with the submersible and its occupants less than two hours after launch, after which it informed the US Coast Guard.
What kind of deep-sea vessel was it ?
Titan is capable of diving 4 kilometers (2.4 miles) “with a comfortable safety margin," according to documents filed by the company in April with a US District Court in Virginia that oversees Titanic matters.
In a May 2021 court filing, OceanGate said the Titan had an “unparalleled safety feature" that assesses the integrity of the hull throughout every dive.
What was the titan's mission?
The goal of OceanGate's expeditions has been chronicle the Titanic's deterioration as well as the underwater ecosystem that shipwrecks often spawn.
What's left of the Titanic is slowly succumbing to metal-eating bacteria that consumes hundreds of pounds of iron a day. Holes pervade the wreckage, while the crow's nest is already gone.
What is it like on board?
It’s cramped and there are few facilities. Travelers are sealed into the cylindrical capsule from the outside. Inside the air is breathable and is recycled in a similar way to a spacecraft, and internal pressure remains constant. Facilities are sparse. At one end is a viewing portal 21 inches in diameter, which allows two passengers to look outside at once. There is a very small bathroom on board.
What happened to the Titan?
Right now, nobody knows. According to the US Coast Guard, about an hour and 45 minutes after the sub launched on Sunday, the submersible’s command ship, the Polar Prince, lost contact with the vessel about 900 miles (1,450 kilometers) east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
How is the Titan launched?
The craft sits on a platform until it reaches about 30 feet below the water’s surface, where it can start its journey to the seabed without the turbulence of waves and currents. Upon its return, it docks with the platform and ballast tanks are filled with air, bringing the craft and its passengers back to the surface.
How is the submersible controlled?
The sub can travel at a speed of three knots and descend at 55 meters per minute, with propulsion coming from four electric thrusters. Attached equipment includes powerful external lights, cameras and a laser scanner. David Pogue, a CBS journalist who took a trip in the Titan to view the Titanic in 2022, said he was surprised to discover the craft was controlled with a video game controller.
What's the firm behind this?
* Based in Everett in Washington State, OceanGate says it uses next generation crewed submersibles and launch platforms to increase deep ocean access as far as 4,000 metres.
* "OceanGate has successfully completed over 14 expeditions and over 200 dives in the Pacific, Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico," its website says. "Following every mission, the team evaluates and updates the procedures as part of a continued commitment to evolve and ensure operational safety."
What is the vessel?
* Although popularly called a submarine, in marine terminology the "Titan" vessel carrying the five is a submersible. While a submarine can launch itself from a port independently, a submersible goes down off a support ship.
What does OceanGate offer tourists hoping to see the Titanic?
OceanGate charges at least $250,000 for expeditions to the Titanic shipwreck. According to its website, the expedition lasts over a week and sets off from the Canadian city of St. John’s in Newfoundland. Single dives take six to eight hours to reach the Titanic site, explore, and return to the surface.
What are the difficulties with a potential rescue?
If the sub has sunk near the Titanic wreck, the depth of the site complicates any rescue efforts because few other vessels, including those designed for Navy submarine rescue, are able to go so deep, let alone retrieve a submersible from the seabed, according to Alistair Greig, a professor of marine engineering at University College London. If the Titan has risen to the surface, it could be bobbing about waiting to be found, a highly uncomfortable situation for the occupants because subs aren’t designed to be on the surface, Greig added.