Titanic Sight Seeing Sub...

Yoused

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If they do get rescued, will there be a "thank you" ? Is there a possibility that these billionaires will pony up for the cost of the S&R? Or, in 19 years, will someone walking on the beach near John O'Groats discover a strange object and the irony of the five bodies having suffocated while floating on the surface be lost on them?
 

Eric

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Hard to believe that this scenario could have been avoided if somebody onboard had an Apple Airtag on them.

Seriously, it's hard for me to believe in 2023 that when something goes down in the ocean there's no way to track it. Is this one of those things where there's no money in it and/or it's too cost prohibitive?
Yeah man it's terribly sad, I know they're holding out hope but it's gotta be pretty bad if these passengers are still alive. The more we learn about how many corners they've cut it's frankly shocking that anyone would ever choose to take part in it.
 

Roller

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Yeah man it's terribly sad, I know they're holding out hope but it's gotta be pretty bad if these passengers are still alive. The more we learn about how many corners they've cut it's frankly shocking that anyone would ever choose to take part in it.
Yeah, I can’t imagine why anyone would sign on without checking out the vessel’s track record, safety mechanisms, and so on. It’s not like hopping on a 737 for a vacation flight.
 

Eric

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Yeah, I can’t imagine why anyone would sign on without checking out the vessel’s track record, safety mechanisms, and so on. It’s not like hopping on a 737 for a vacation flight.

This sort of says it all.

fwtloew5pe7b1.jpg
 

Huntn

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No clue what the failure was, but with 40 hrs of compressed air, I’d want a ballast to inflate and raise the vehicle, that is if it did not flood.
 

Cmaier

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No clue what the failure was, but with 40 hrs of compressed air, I’d want a ballast to inflate and raise the vehicle, that is if it did not flood.

It was set up so that, supposedly, the ballast would disconnect after 24 hours no matter what, and the vehicle would then raise from its own bouyancy. No way to know what happened. May have been crushed. May be sitting somewhere on the surface right now. May have gotten stuck on something on the ocean floor. Angry orcas?
 

AG_PhamD

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I’m no sub expert, but I’d ask to compare this sub with the type sub James Cameron took down to view the Titanic. The words of the sub expert stays with me. I keep thinking “fiberglass” or the window rated at only 1300m, popped like an eggshell. If rescue is not effected, that would be preferable to sitting, thinking about it for 40hrs. 😣


Yeah- the window not being rated for the depth seems like a major problem. I’m not sure about the construction, I have been traveling and not paying much attention to the news but I heard carbon fiber… which I suppose is fine, but I’d imagine like other machines you have to have thorough durability testing and a verified inspection process. Much like an airplane I would think your hull would have a limited number of pressurization cycles so to speak. I’m not sure why you’d go with a novel material when materials like steel are tried and tested.

And as for this hull banging, while it sounds promising, when you’re searching an area the size of CT I imagine there’s plenty of crap underwater that could be knocking around. Then if they find the submarine there is the question of how to retrieve it- which I don’t necessarily think is quite as insurmountable as some make it sound, though still difficult provided you have the right resources within range.

One thing I’m baffled about is the obsession over the Xbox controller used to operate the submersible. Fun fact the US military uses Xbox controllers on some weapons systems such as gun turrets and the new VA class submarine periscope mast. Why? Because young service people are very familiar with Xbox controllers already and often have years of experience with them. It’s also a lot cheaper. It’s pretty smart if you think about it.
 

Yoused

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It was set up so that, supposedly, the ballast would disconnect after 24 hours no matter what, and the vehicle would then raise from its own bouyancy. No way to know what happened. May have been crushed. May be sitting somewhere on the surface right now.
The ride had about a 3+ hour vertical transit each way. When they lost contact, they would have been somewhere between 7~10 thousand feet. If they dropped ballast at that point, ascent would have taken around two hours.

In that area, there is a current in the ocean that tracks toward France. If they ascended, they would have been carried some distance away (obviously, S&R are fully aware of this), and the navigation machinery would probably be inadequate for getting back to the ship, if they could suss a heading.
 

Cmaier

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The ride had about a 3+ hour vertical transit each way. When they lost contact, they would have been somewhere between 7~10 thousand feet. If they dropped ballast at that point, ascent would have taken around two hours.

In that area, there is a current in the ocean that tracks toward France. If they ascended, they would have been carried some distance away (obviously, S&R are fully aware of this), and the navigation machinery would probably be inadequate for getting back to the ship, if they could suss a heading.
And no way to open the door and get oxygen.

A lot of design flaws.
 

Huntn

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Yeah- the window not being rated for the depth seems like a major problem. I’m not sure about the construction, I have been traveling and not paying much attention to the news but I heard carbon fiber… which I suppose is fine, but I’d imagine like other machines you have to have thorough durability testing and a verified inspection process. Much like an airplane I would think your hull would have a limited number of pressurization cycles so to speak. I’m not sure why you’d go with a novel material when materials like steel are tried and tested.

And as for this hull banging, while it sounds promising, when you’re searching an area the size of CT I imagine there’s plenty of crap underwater that could be knocking around. Then if they find the submarine there is the question of how to retrieve it- which I don’t necessarily think is quite as insurmountable as some make it sound, though still difficult provided you have the right resources within range.

One thing I’m baffled about is the obsession over the Xbox controller used to operate the submersible. Fun fact the US military uses Xbox controllers on some weapons systems such as gun turrets and the new VA class submarine periscope mast. Why? Because young service people are very familiar with Xbox controllers already and often have years of experience with them. It’s also a lot cheaper. It’s pretty smart if you think about it.
Regarding controllers, I’d ask did they have a backup? If I had a look the design, (not claiming any expertise), I’d ask how much thought was put into all the things that might go wrong and the contingencies put in place? The CEOs statement basically about being safe as overrated when it comes to exploration was an eye opener. And if they are using equipment not rated for the environment they are operating in, such as the pressure ratings on windows, with people’s lives at stake, then there is no helping them from the liability the company will face.
 

mollyc

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Regarding controllers, I’d ask did they have a backup? If I had a look the design, (not claiming any expertise), I’d ask how much thought was put into all the things that might go wrong and the contingencies put in place? The CEOs statement basically about being safe as overrated when it comes to exploration was an eye opener. And if they are using equipment not rated for the environment they are operating in, such as the pressure ratings on windows, with people’s lives at stake, then there is no helping them from the liability the company will face.
How much liability is there if they all signed waivers for the assumption of death though?
 

Roller

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One thing I’m baffled about is the obsession over the Xbox controller used to operate the submersible. Fun fact the US military uses Xbox controllers on some weapons systems such as gun turrets and the new VA class submarine periscope mast. Why? Because young service people are very familiar with Xbox controllers already and often have years of experience with them. It’s also a lot cheaper. It’s pretty smart if you think about it.
It makes sense if you have a spare available in case the controller fails. But knowing the CEO's stance on safety, I doubt that was the case.
 

Huntn

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How much liability is there if they all signed waivers for the assumption of death though?
There is always civil court, loved ones who did not sign anything, and having customers disappear on you. I remember reading that from a legal standpoint, you can’t really sign liability away If a business entity acts in an irresponsible manner. Did the disclaimer tell the customer, that an underrated window was used for the depth being explored? I see this as game over for the company but what do I know? :)
 

AG_PhamD

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Regarding controllers, I’d ask did they have a backup? If I had a look the design, (not claiming any expertise), I’d ask how much thought was put into all the things that might go wrong and the contingencies put in place? The CEOs statement basically about being safe as overrated when it comes to exploration was an eye opener. And if they are using equipment not rated for the environment they are operating in, such as the pressure ratings on windows, with people’s lives at stake, then there is no helping them from the liability the company will face.

I would hope. For $60 and added negligible weight and space it seems like a smart backup to carry. If they don’t I would hope they have an alternative means of control. I wonder given the military’s use of these controllers if they make a militarized version. I suspect this is not the cause of the loss of submersible though. I think they have far greater issues at hand like a hull failure or fire or loss of all power.
 

Huntn

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Yeah man it's terribly sad, I know they're holding out hope but it's gotta be pretty bad if these passengers are still alive. The more we learn about how many corners they've cut it's frankly shocking that anyone would ever choose to take part in it.
I heard one guy got fired for raising concerns…witness for the prosecution. I’d like to see a copy of the disclaimer signed.
 

Citysnaps

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For the company, I see this as game over for the company but what do I know? :)

Yeah. Even if the company somehow avoids legal peril, and another adventure sub is manufactured, who's going to be lining up to give it a whirl as it descends 2 1/2 miles below the ocean surface? There might be a few, but enough to make it a business? That would be a tough sell.
 

Huntn

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Yeah. Even if the company somehow avoids legal peril, and another adventure sub is manufactured, who's going to be lining up to give it a whirl as it descends 2 1/2 miles below the ocean surface? There might be a few, but enough to make it a business? That would be a tough sell.
Billionaires looking for the “thrill of their lives” or a way to go out with a bang. :unsure: Speaking of bangs, implosion would be much preferred to the hell of the prospect of suffocating in a couple days sitting in your coffin with 4 others and then suffocating. And as mentioned, they could be floating on the surface with no way to open the hatch? Easy for me to say, but what a horrid design. :oops:
 
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