Syllabus: GS3/ Science and Technology
Context
- The Government of India is preparing to send a human into the deep sea as part of its ambitious ‘Deep Sea Mission,’ aligned with the country’s first human space mission scheduled for early 2026.
Deep Ocean Mission (DOM)
- DOM is implemented by the Ministry Of Earth Sciences (MoES) and was approved in 2021 at a cost of nearly Rs 4,077 crore over a five-year period in a phased manner.
- The mission has six pillars:
- Development of technologies for deep-sea mining and a manned submersible to carry three people to a depth of 6,000 meters in the ocean;
- Development of ocean climate change advisory services, involving an array of ocean observations and models to understand and provide future climate projections;
- Technological innovations for the exploration and conservation of deep-sea biodiversity;
- Deep-ocean survey and exploration aimed at identifying potential sites of multi-metal hydrothermal sulphides mineralisation along the Indian Ocean mid-oceanic ridges;
- Harnessing energy and freshwater from the ocean; and
- Establishing an advanced Marine Station for Ocean Biology, as a hub for nurturing talent and driving new opportunities in ocean biology and blue biotechnology.
Objectives
Developments Linked to it
- Samudrayaan Mission : As a part of DOM, India’s flagship deep ocean mission, ‘Samudrayaan’, was initiated in 2021 by the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
- The crewed expedition reaching a depth of 6,000 m to the ocean bed in the central Indian Ocean will be accomplished by Matsya6000, a deep-ocean submersible.
| Matsya6000 – The Matsya6000 is India’s flagship deep-ocean human submersible that aims to reach the ocean bed at a depth of 6,000 m. – Accompanied by three crew members, called “aquanauts”, the submersible carries a suite of scientific tools and equipment designed to facilitate observations, sample collection, basic video and audio recording, and experimentation. Features of Matsya6000 – Matsya6000 combines the best and most feasible features of remote operated vehicles (ROVs) and autonomous remote vehicles (AUVs). – The interior of Matsya6000 is designed to accommodate three humans travelling within a specialised sphere with a diameter of 2.1 m. – Constructed from a titanium alloy, the sphere is engineered to withstand pressures of up to 6,000 bar. – It can move at a speed of about 5.5 km/hr using underwater thrusters. |
Significance
- The ‘New India 2030’ document outlines the blue economy as the sixth core objective for India’s growth. The years 2021-2030 have been designated by the United Nations as the ‘Decade of Ocean Science’.
- DOM is one of nine missions under the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PMSTIAC).
- The mission is significant for the sustainable extraction of valuable resources, including polymetallic nodules and polymetallic sulphides.
Challenges
- High pressure in the deep oceans: Operating under such high-pressure conditions requires the use of meticulously designed equipment crafted from durable metals or materials.
- Landing on the ocean bed also presents challenges due to its incredibly soft and muddy surface.
- A large amount of power and energy is required to extract minerals to the surface.
- Poor Visibility poses a significant hurdle as natural light can penetrate only a few tens of meters beneath the surface,
Concluding remarks
- The Deep Sea Mission holds immense potential to drive India’s economic growth.
- As the 6th country to undertake such an initiative, India’s first manned submersible, Matsya 6000, will explore the mysteries of the deep sea.
- By joining the ranks of countries already investing in deep-sea exploration, India is positioning itself as a global leader in ocean science and sustainable resource management.
Source: BS
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