After achieving a remarkable lunar landing with Chandrayaan-3, India is now venturing into the depths of the ocean with the groundbreaking Samudrayaan mission, a project that marks a new era in ocean exploration.
The Samudrayaan mission is a testament to India's innovation, being developed by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) in Chennai. It stands as India's inaugural manned ocean exploration mission, signifying a significant leap in scientific achievement.
The Matsya 6000, a state-of-the-art ocean craft, is poised to take the plunge into the Bay Of Bengal in the upcoming year. Its name, "6000," signifies its extraordinary capability to reach depths of up to 6000 meters beneath the ocean's surface.
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The self-propelled Samudrayaan submersible will embark on a historic mission, accommodating three crew members who will explore the mysteries of the ocean at a staggering depth of 6000 meters. On this mission, scientists will conduct meticulous searches for valuable minerals like nickel, cobalt, and manganese.
Matsya 6000 is equipped with cutting-edge underwater instruments, including the Autonomous Coring System (ACS), Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV), and Deep Sea Mining System (DSM). These tools ensure it is well-prepared to tackle the challenges of deep-sea exploration with precision.
The Samudrayaan mission is an integral part of the comprehensive Deep Ocean Mission, closely aligned with India's visionary Blue Economy policy. This policy seeks to harness ocean resources sustainably, contributing to economic growth, job creation, and environmental conservation.
The Cabinet approved the Deep Ocean Mission with a substantial estimated budget of Rs 4077 crores, encompassing two phases spanning from 2021 to 2026.
The project currently enjoys an allocated budget of Rs 1400 crore, with Rs 405.92 crores disbursed and an expenditure of Rs 225.35 crores already incurred.
In December 2022, the OMe 6000 AUV conducted meticulous deep-sea mineral exploration at the Polymetallic Manganese Nodule (PMN) site in the central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB). The exploration took place at a remarkable depth of 5271 meters.
During this expedition, approximately 14 square kilometres of seabed were surveyed using a suite of scientific instruments. This survey aimed to provide high-resolution data to better understand the potential resources at the exploration site.
In addition to resource assessment, high-resolution cameras were deployed to map an area of approximately 1 square kilometre x 0.5 square kilometres. The detailed mapping offered insights into polymetallic manganese nodule resource distribution, abundance, and the diverse deep-sea biodiversity inhabiting the region.