Deep dive for Chinese underwater lab in mission to bottom of South China Sea
- Researchers dock laboratory with base station in a first test of its kind for the country
- Once up and running, the lab is expected to give a clearer picture of worlds far below the surface
The test included connecting a laboratory to the base station – a first for the country – and assessing the operations of a deep-sea glider and virtual mooring buoy for communication.
Chen Jun, an associate research fellow of the Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said the trial focused on testing the main functions of the deep-sea base station and verifying the ability of the station’s system control, energy management and communications system, the report said.
The in-situ laboratory was connected with the base station with the help of a manned submersible on the seabed at an unspecified site in the waters.
The station supplied power and communications to the laboratory and the whole system operated stably for seven days at an ocean depth of over 1,400 metres (4,600 feet), the report said.