We’ve currently explored less than 20% of our own planet’s oceans. In fact, compared to our knowledge of space, our knowledge of the ocean is pretty thin. And so, when Norwegian non-profit REV Ocean reached out to the scientific community a few years ago asking for input about what tools they’d like for a new initiative that would expand oceanic exploration in hopes of knowledge and preservation, a top-notch submersible was at the top of their list.
REV Ocean responded by tapping Triton Submarines for a new deep-sea vessel they’ve named Aurelia, which translates to “golden one” and is also the scientific name for the common jellyfish. Holding three people, the Triton 7500/3 is the world’s deepest-diving acrylic hulled submersible, made to go 7,500′ below the surface — about one-fifth of the depth of the Mariana Trench. Powered by a lithium phosphate battery technology called LiFePO4, which can endure over 10 hours of exploration, the submersible utilizes a pressure hull thickness of nearly 12″ and is built using aircraft-grade material and pressure-balanced-oil-filled subsystems.
Building upon the design of the Triton 3300/3, the 7500/3 shares the same spacious and luxurious configuration with leather sports seating and Triton’s proprietary easy-entry hatch system. This sub gives a 360-degree view of the ocean and also houses state-of-the-art filmmaking equipment for documentation, such as an EagleRay 4K camera and a Rayfin Stereo camera.
The capabilities of the Aurelia were simply not possible even as recent as a few years ago, and yet, the future is now. A launch date has not yet been given for the new Triton, but keep an eye on REV Ocean’s website for future updates.
