Why in the News?
- Key tests for Samudrayaan, India’s first manned deep-ocean submersible, have been delayed due to the late procurement of syntactic foam cladding from France. The crucial 500-metre test dive is now expected by mid-2025 (around April).
What is syntactic foam?
- A special composite material made of hollow micro-balloons embedded in resin. Provides high buoyancy & resistance to extreme pressure → essential for deep-sea vehicles.
About Samudrayaan
- Part of India’s Deep Ocean Mission (DOM) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).
- Developed by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai.
- Aim: Conduct manned exploration of deep-sea resources and collect soil & rock samples from the ocean floor.
Features of the Manned Submersible (MATSYA-6000)
- Capacity: 3 persons
- Maximum Depth: 6,000 metres
- Hull Material: Titanium sphere (final version)
- Buoyancy: Achieved using syntactic foam
- Purpose:
- Deep-sea mineral exploration
- Study of polymetallic nodules
- Geological and biological sample collection
Depth Significance
- Only a few countries (USA, Russia, China, Japan, France) have undertaken comparable manned dives.
| The term ‘IndARC’, sometimes seen in the news, is the name of (2015)
(a) an indigenously developed radar system inducted into Indian Defence (b) India’s satellite to provide services to the countries of Indian Ocean Rim (c) a scientific establishment set up by India in Antartic region (d) India’s underwater observatory to scientifically study the Arctic region |
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