FNRS-2

FNRS-2 is a submersible that was developed by the Belgian scientist Auguste Piccard. It was the first bathyscaphe, a type of free-diving self-propelled deep-sea submersible, designed to reach the deepest parts of the ocean. The FNRS-2 was named after the Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique (FNRS), the Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research, which funded the project.

History

The FNRS-2 was built in 1948, following the successful development of the FNRS-1, a high-altitude balloon also designed by Piccard. The FNRS-2 was designed to withstand the extreme pressures found in the deepest parts of the ocean, and was the first vehicle to successfully dive to a depth of over 4,000 meters.

The FNRS-2 made its first successful dive in 1948, reaching a depth of 1,382 meters. In 1950, the submersible was modified to improve its performance and safety features. The modified FNRS-2 made a record-breaking dive to a depth of 4,176 meters in 1954.

Design

The FNRS-2 was designed with a steel pressure hull and a separate compartment for the crew. The pressure hull was filled with gasoline, which is incompressible and provided buoyancy. The crew compartment was a steel sphere with portholes for observation.

The FNRS-2 was powered by electric motors and was steered by a system of propellers and rudders. It was equipped with a system of ballast tanks that could be filled with water to increase the submersible's weight and allow it to descend, and emptied to allow it to ascend.

Legacy

The FNRS-2 paved the way for the development of modern deep-sea exploration vehicles. Its design principles have been used in the construction of subsequent bathyscaphes, including the Trieste, which reached the bottom of the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the ocean, in 1960.

See also

• Auguste Piccard
• Bathyscaphe
• Deep-sea exploration
• Trieste (bathyscaphe)