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News OceanGate Inc. announced the completion of the initial car- bon Þ ber hull design and feasibility study for its next genera- tion manned submersible Ð Cyclops. Under a contract issued to Boeing Research & Technology (BR&T), OceanGate, the Applied Physics Laboratory at the University of Washington (APL-UW) and Boeing have validated the basic hull design for a submersible vehicle able to reach depths of 3,000m. With its large 180-degree borosilicate glass dome, the new vehicle will offer a chance to examine the environment, col- lect samples, and deploy technology in subsea settings in per- son and in real time. When commercially available in 2016, Cyclops will reportedly be the only privately owned deep- water (greater than 2,000 meters) manned submersible avail- able for contracts. A follow on 6,000-m version is slated for completion in Q4 2016.ÒRecent advances in material science, manufacturing and testing facilities that combine innovative engineering process- es have allowed for a unique collaboration between Ocean- Gate, Boeing and the APL team to complete the feasibility study and move the process to the manufacturing stage,Ó said Stockton Rush, CEO. ÒThe research, military and commercial markets need more vehicles for subsea exploration. Ocean- GateÕs Cyclops submersible will usher in a new class of ve- hicle to help fulÞ ll this need.Ó The Cyclops submersible will feature a seven-inch thick, individual-Þ ber-placed carbon Þ ber hull using proprietary Boeing manufacturing technology. The ability to accurately place thousands of individual strips of pre-impregnated Þ ber Cyclops A Revolutionary Hull Design Under a contract issued to Boeing Research & Technol- ogy (BR&T), OceanGate, the Applied Physics Laboratory at the University of Washington (APL-UW) and Boeing have val- idated the basic hull design for a submersible vehicle able to reach depths of 3,000m. 18 MTROctober 2013MTR #8 (18-33).indd 18MTR #8 (18-33).indd 1810/16/2013 9:19:17 AM10/16/2013 9:19:17 AM
