Bathyscaphe Trieste II

Bathyscaphe Trieste II is a deep-diving research submersible that was designed and built by the United States Navy. It is the successor to the original Bathyscaphe Trieste, which was the first manned vessel to reach the bottom of the Challenger Deep, the deepest part of the Mariana Trench.

Design and Construction

The Trieste II was constructed in 1963, following the success of its predecessor. It was designed to be more robust and capable of withstanding the extreme pressures found at the deepest parts of the ocean. The design of the Trieste II incorporated many of the lessons learned from the original Trieste, including the use of a spherical cabin to resist the pressure and a float chamber filled with gasoline for buoyancy.

Missions

The Trieste II was used in a number of important missions during its operational life. One of its most notable missions was the recovery of a lost hydrogen bomb in the Mediterranean Sea in 1966, known as the Palomares Incident. The Trieste II was also used for scientific research, including studies of deep-sea life and geology.

Legacy

The Trieste II was retired in 1984, but its legacy continues. It paved the way for the development of more advanced deep-sea exploration vehicles, and its missions contributed significantly to our understanding of the deep ocean. The Trieste II is now on display at the Naval Undersea Museum in Keyport, Washington.

See also

• Deep Submergence Vehicle
• Bathyscaphe
• Deep-sea exploration