New details about the Arctic seabed expedition

The event of the Russian Mir deep-sea diving vessel at the bottom of the Arctic Sea at more than 4,200 meters of water on August 2 is a hotly debated topic in the world over the past few days.

The issue of territorial sovereignty is still under discussion, but the Russians' unique scientific achievements in the conquest of the Arctic Sea cannot be denied. Russian press has revealed more information about this expedition in the past few days.

The bottom of the yellow Arctic Sea is very beautiful

Two Russian submarines diving Mir-1 and Mir-2 were dropped into the icy Arctic Sea by scientific research ship Akademik Fyodorov. Each mini boat has a length of 8 m. Earlier, the atomic icebreaker powered by Rossiya opened a rectangular ice well mouth 25 meters long and 10 meters wide. Inside each of these Mir deep dive ships, there are 3 people.

Like the astronauts, before stepping into two Mir deep-diving submarines, ocean explorers had to remove their shoes to walk barefoot. So far in the world, only 5 ships can dive to depth of 3,000 m or more. Russia alone owns two of the five ships.

Mir-1 is scientifically commanded by world-renowned ocean explorer Artur Chilingarov, but the train driver is Sagalevich's famous captain.

The Arctic seabed is flat and pale yellow
(Photo: Reuters, Guardian)

68-year-old Artur Chilingarov, the current Vice-President of the Russian House, was awarded the title of Soviet Hero in 1985. The Anatoly Sagalevich captain once drove the Mir-1 deep diving ship to take filmmakers Hollwood down the expedition to film the wreck of the Titanic.

Anatoly Sagalevich is currently the Director of the Oceanographic Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

The third member of the Mir-1 ship is Vladimir Gruzdev, Vice Chairman of the Russian National Duma Institute. All major scientific research activities of this expedition were mainly carried out by Mir-1.

Mir-2 mini submarine is controlled by a Russian captain, the other two crew members include Swedish businessman Frederik Paulsen and Australian explorer Mike McDowell. In order to participate in the Arctic seabed expedition, adventurer Mike McDowell paid $ 3 million.

Russian Mir deep dive ship
(Photo: Pravda)

After being craneed from the mother ship into the Arctic Sea, two mini submarines Mir-1 and Mir-2 are submerged to the bottom of the sea. All communications between the two submarines and the water surface are through the sound system connected to the scientific research vessel Akademik Fyodorov.

On the mother ship Akademik Fyodorov has about 100 scientists tracking every movement inside and outside the Mir-1 and Mir-2 ships.

When the Mir-1 deep-diving ship has just hit the Arctic Sea at a depth of more than 4,200 meters, Chilingarov's Artur scientist reported on the sea surface: Mir-1 hit the Arctic seabed, lowered gently and safely without any problems . The bright yellow Arctic sea floor is very beautiful. We didn't see any marine creatures swimming around at this depth.

After reaching the bottom of the Arctic Sea, the Mir-1 used an arm of a stainless-metal Russian flag as a symbol of Russia's sovereignty and achievements in conquering the deep sea at the North Pole. land.

From Mir-1 submarines and Mir-2 ocean explorers had a talk with Russian astronauts working on the International Space Station via satellite phone systems. The content of the talks is brief, mainly health inquiries and simple announcements. This is another scientific achievement that so far only the world has achieved Russia.

The ice well mouth looks like a needle hole

Two Mir-1 and Mir-2 deep-diving ships also have the task of taking samples of water, soil, and measuring scientific parameters on the Arctic seabed. After operating in the Arctic Sea for nine hours, these two mini submarines were raised to the surface one after another.

This is the most difficult and dangerous stage of the entire journey, requiring adventurers to be very talented and brave. Otherwise they will be permanently stuck under the thick ice in the Arctic, possibly dying because on the mini submarine lacks oxygen and food.

To facilitate the emergence of two Mir-1 and Mir-2 vessels, the Rossiya ice breaker opened a 125 m wide well and 10 m wide. Yet from the bottom of the sea, Chilingarov's Artur ocean explorer said he only saw a dim light like a needle hole.

Russia plugs the flag of the Arctic Sea (Photos: AP, Bloomberg)

Mir-1 ships are ordered to rise first. It took 40 minutes to squirm under the ice sheet. Mr. Sagalevich just controlled the Mir-1 into the correct needle hole to emerge between the cheers of the scientists on the mother ship Akademik Fyodorov. About an hour later, the Mir-2 also successfully floated to the surface.

After successful exploration of the Arctic sea floor, scientific explorers and ships are still in the Arctic to continue some other research. Expected adventurers will return to Murmansk port no earlier than August 10.

From Murmansk port, another scientific research ship named Mstislav Keldysh will be taken to the North Pole to pick up some scientists and adventurers back to the mainland. The rest will continue with the atomic icebreaker Rossiya staying in the Arctic for a while longer.

Nguyen Dai Phuong