Development of the Jiaolong Deep Manned Submersible

Abstract

AbstractDeep sea exploration and exploitation are of increasing interest to 21st century scientists, and both manned and unmanned deep submergence vehicles are necessary means for deep sea exploration. To fulfill the requirements of deep sea exploration for China Ocean Mineral Resources R&D Association (COMRA), a deep manned submersible was in the process of development in China from 2002 to 2012 and was named Jiaolong in 2010. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the development process from a historical point of view, including the design, realization of components, assembly, open-water tank test, and sea trials of the Jiaolong deep manned submersible. The technical difficulties encountered at each stage, and their solutions are briefly described. The future development trends for deep manned submersibles are pointed out.