Alvin (HOV) Submersible Gets back in the Water after Major Re-Fit

Credit: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI)

One of the giants of ocean science, the HOV Alvin deep-submersible, is almost ready to get back in the water after a $41m (£26.5m) refit.

The upgrade is intended to enable the 49-year-old vehicle to go 2,000m deeper, although some additional work will be required to achieve this goal.

Project manager Kurt Uetz and Alvin pilot Mike Skowronski proudly provide a sneak peek at the refitted sub a month before it goes back in the water.

The new WHOI Sentry autonomous underwater vehicle meets the submersible Alvin during a testing expedition off Bermuda in April 2006. 

Sentry is a robotic underwater vehicle used for exploring the deep ocean; it will often be used to complement Alvin by surveying large swaths of ocean floor to determine the best spots for close-up exploration. 

Sentry is part of the National Deep Submergence Facility

Photo by Chris German, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution