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« Tuesday Afternoon Roundup | Main | Friday Deep-Sea Picture (August 3, 2007) »
Alvin 2.0
Category: Vessels and Equipment
Posted on: August 1, 2007 9:53 AM, by CR McClain
It appears that Lockheed Martin will be building the replacement for the Alvin submersible, which I am now officially calling A2. The price for A2? WHOI awarded the contract for a reasonable $2.8 million. Call me crazy, but submersible technology must have went down in price because this seems low. Besides new submersible smell and fancy rims, A2's features will include
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Comments
you mean it's not going to have any frickin lasers? Isn't this the 21st century?
Posted by: Jim Lemire | August 1, 2007 1:48 PM
Jim, Alvin does and will have lasers! We use them as a size reference in the video. A pair of lasers is fixed above the camera and the width is 10cm apart.
I hear A2 will have a bumpin sound system. Aww Yeeeeahh!
Posted by: Kevin Z | August 1, 2007 2:14 PM
Lasers are actually standard for submersibles and ROV's. Most have at least two, but three and four are becoming more common and provide more accurate measurements of organisms.
Posted by: CR McClain | August 1, 2007 3:39 PM
Cool. I had no idea about the lasers - makes sense.
Not sure Dr. Evil had those type of lasers in mind though...
Posted by: Jim Lemire | August 1, 2007 6:59 PM
The Tyrone report keeps confusing "cannabis" and "cocaine," leading me to think that they have experience with neither.
The A2 story also mentions that $2.8 mil if for design of the Alvin's replacement. I'm sure the actual construction will cost more, if Lockheed's track record means anything...
Posted by: ceabaird | August 1, 2007 7:05 PM
Lasers? Guys, subs have "inertial dampers".
Well, at least for the sub itself, and away from the water-air interface. :-P
Posted by: Torbjörn Larsson, OM | August 1, 2007 7:27 PM
I see the key is the design is 2.8 million....
Posted by: CR McClain | August 1, 2007 8:28 PM
Well, unlike scientists, engineers actually make good money. Someone's got to keep their country club memberships renewed!
Posted by: Kevin Z | August 1, 2007 8:39 PM
No no, it is the company directors that makes the big bucks. See, now they can retool their CAD systems and retrain their engineers because this is a prestige project which will have "the latest". Big bonuses in store for diverting money into company capital - someone's got to keep their country club houses rebuilt!
Posted by: Torbjörn Larsson, OM | August 2, 2007 12:59 AM
Too bad it will not be ready to help scour the seabed for cannabis
Save the Bales!
Posted by: Graculus | August 2, 2007 8:38 AM
That's odd... I wasn't aware there was a marine variety of cannabis. Is it a hybrid variety or was it grafted onto some kelp?
Posted by: stogoe | August 2, 2007 9:40 AM
Seaweed. Heh heh.
Posted by: Peter McGrath | August 8, 2007 4:47 AM