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
- A larger sphere for the 3-person crew
- Greater visibility for the crew
- Increased payload capabilities
- A 6500m verses the 4500m of A1 depth maximum
Long-range weapon capabilities
Too bad it will not be ready to help scour the seabed for cannabis.
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Graphic from The New York Times Company.
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you mean it's not going to have any frickin lasers? Isn't this the 21st century?
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!
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.
Cool. I had no idea about the lasers - makes sense.
Not sure Dr. Evil had those type of lasers in mind though...
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...
Lasers? Guys, subs have "inertial dampers".
Well, at least for the sub itself, and away from the water-air interface. :-P
I see the key is the design is 2.8 million....
Well, unlike scientists, engineers actually make good money. Someone's got to keep their country club memberships renewed!
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!
Too bad it will not be ready to help scour the seabed for cannabis
Save the Bales!
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?
Seaweed. Heh heh.