ThebathyscapheArchimède is a deep diving researchsubmersible of theFrench Navy. It used 42,000 US gallons (160,000 L) ofhexane as thegasoline buoyancy of its float.[1] It was designed by Pierre Willm andGeorges Houot.[2] In 1964,Archimède descended into "what was then thought to be the deepest part of thePuerto Rico Trench",[3] which the NY Times reported as 27,500 feet (8,400 m).[4]
Archimède was christened on 27 July 1961, at the French Navy base ofToulon. It was designed to go beyond 30,000 feet (9,100 m),[5] and displaced 61 tons.[6] In October 1961,Archimède passed its first dive tests, diving to 5,000 feet (1,500 m) unmanned.[7] On 27 November 1961,Archimède achieved a speed of 3knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph), over a distance of 4.5 miles (7.2 km) at a depth of 7,870 feet (2,400 m) in the Mediterranean Sea.[8]
On 23 May 1962,Archimède descended to 15,744 feet (4,799 m) offHonshu, Japan, in the Pacific, at theJapan Deep.[9] On 15 July 1962,Archimède descended to 31,350 feet (9,560 m) into theKurile-Kamchatcha Trench, making it the second deepest dive ever, at that point in time, second only to theBathyscaphe Trieste dive on theChallenger Deep.[10] On 12 August 1962,Archimède descended to 30,511 feet (9,300 m) in the Japan Deep south ofTokyo.[11]
France
Media related toArchimede (submarine, 1961) at Wikimedia Commons
