Alvin

Update.!!!!! (=ALVIN, The greatest submersible! By: Walter Wesley

The most famous submersible is ALVIN, a three-person deep submergence vessel. Among some of its most memorable missions are discovery of deep-sea hydrothermal vents and recovery of a missing H-bomb. Office of Naval Research funded the development of ALVIN in 1962 for almost $10 million. ALVIN was named for Allyn Vine, a Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute oceanographer. ALVIN was built with Office of Naval Research money and is now used by Woods Hole Oceanographic scientists. (http://www.onr.navy.mil/focus/ocean/vessels/submersibles1.htm)

//**Alvin**// is a heavyweight, research //submersible// owned by the //United States Navy.// Alvin is operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI) in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Alvin was assembled by General Mills' Electronics Group. Alvin was named to honor the creative inspiration for the vehicle, Allyn Vine, and was charge on June 5, 1964. The submersible is launched from the deep submergence support vessel //Atlantis//, which is also owned by the U.S. Navy and operated by WHOI. Alvin has taken 12,000 people to observe the ocean's surroundings. It is said that research conducted by //Alvin// has showed 2,000 scientific papers.

//Alvin// was designed as a replacement for maneuverable oceanographic vehicles. Its most quick design serves as a structural material at great depths. The three-person machine fits for two scientists and one pilot to dive for up to nine hours. The submersible has two robotic arms to pick up or move things in its way.([])
 * Design **

//Alvin//, first of its class of [|Deep Submergence Vehicle] (DSV), was created to dive to 2440 meters. Each of the //Alvin-class// DSVs are built differently. On 17 March 1966, //Alvin// was used to locate a submerged 1.45-megaton [|hydrogen bomb] lost in a [|United States Air Force] [|midair accident] over [|Palomares], [|Spain]. The bomb was raised unbroken on 7 April. An interesting story was said: On July 6, 1967, the Alvin was attacked by a swordfish. The swordfish got trapped in the Alvin, and the Alvin was forced to make an emergency surface. The attack took place at 2,000 feet below the surface. The fish was recovered at the surface and cooked for dinner.[|[][|3][|]]
 * Early career **

Sinking
The //Alvin// was lost as it was being transported in October 1968. The //Alvin// was being lowered over the side when two steel cables snapped. During the incident, //Alvin// held three crewmembers inside and the hatch open. With no deck underneath, the //Alvin// hit the water and quickly started to sink. The three crewmembers managed to escape, but //Alvin// flooded and sank in 1500 meters of water. The Alvin led to a dangerous recovery. The Alvin was pictured on the bottom of the ocean and was towed by [|USS Mizar]. It was decided that they will attempt the recovery of the Alvin. They, the [|//Aluminaut//], had trouble putting the Alvin together, causing them to go back to [|Woods Hole] to regroup. Finally they finished the recovery project on August 27. This incident led to a more comprehensive understanding that near-freezing temperatures and the lack of decaying bacteria at increased depths prevented biological decay.The //Alvin// required a major overhaul after the incident. |]] [|]]



Black smokers
In 1977, [|Robert Ballard] led an expedition which was sponsored by the [|National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration] (NOAA) to the discovery and existence of [|black smokers] around the [|Galapagos Islands]. Black smokers produce a strong flow of black, smoky water, superheated to over 400 °[|C] (750 °[|F]). Alvin was able to sample the water from a black smoker.

Most famously, //Alvin// was involved in the exploration of the wreckage of [|RMS //Titanic//] in 1986. Launched from her support ship [|R/V //Atlantis II//], Titanic carried Dr. [|Robert Ballard] to the wreckage of the great liner. RMS //Titanic// sank in 1912 after hitting an [|iceberg] while crossing the North Atlantic Ocean on her [|maiden voyage]. //Alvin// was able to provide photographic surveys and detailed inspections of the //Titanic's// wreckage. Many photographs of the expedition have been published in the magazine of the [|National Geographic Society]. Interestingly, the [|Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute] team was also involved in the Titanic expedition.

Recent overhauls
Over the years, the //Alvin// has gone through many renovationss to improve its equipment and extend its lifetime. The most recent overhaul was during 2001where motor controllers and computer systems were added. The current Alvin is still the same as the original vessel in name and design only. All parts of the vessel have been replaced at least once. Alvin is completely disassembled every three to five years for a complete inspection. Then new robotic arms are added to the machine in 2006. |]]

on June 2008, a new vehicle is being created in the replacement of the Alvin. It'll be a good upgrade but won't be completed untill the 2011. The new sphere will have five view ports and is designed for depths of over 6,000 metres. []|
 * Current work **

A possible replacement
On 6 August 2004, the [|National Science Foundation] said the creation of a new Human Occupied Vehicle is to replace the ancient Alvin. The HOV is design to become a modern version of the Alvin, including deeper depths, functional movement, and large spacing. This vehicle will also consist of longer time under the ocean's surface. this new creation is said to be completed by the end of 2011. Some components of the current Alvin are anticipated to be used in the new Alvin replacement vehicle. Due to export laws, the vehicle cannot be sold to parties outside of the United States. The fate of the Alvin when this new submersible arrives is unknown, but due to the limited market for sale and stripping of components for use on the new vehicle, it will likely be placed in a museum. [|Lockheed Martin] is the designer of the new Alvin replacement vehicle as a nonclassified project.|]], the //Alvin// has not yet been retired from service.