Mission Samudrayan | Deep Ocean Mission | Matsya 6000

Mission Samudrayan

Ministry of Earth Sciences has launched India’s First Manned Ocean Mission Samudrayan at Chennai on 29 OCT 2021. The Mission will be a part of the Deep Ocean Mission, which was launched in 2018 by the Earth Science Ministry of India.

The larger vision behind the Indian Ocean mission is the Sagar that is security and growth for all in the Indian Ocean region and also the vision for new India 2030 of which the blue economy is an integrated component. To fulfil this larger vision there are various components at a different level of administration. 

The Deep Ocean Mission is part of India’s larger vision and policy goals for the Indian Ocean region.

At the highest level is the overarching vision for India to be a net security provider in the Indian Ocean.

The next level has the blue economy policy which aims to harness ocean resources for economic growth. The draft blue economy policy was released in 2021 but is still being finalized.

The third level has specific missions like the Deep Ocean Mission that align with the blue economy goals.

At the fourth level are various projects under these missions such as Sagarmala project for port development and Mausam project for weather forecasting.

The Deep Ocean Mission must be understood in the context of this broader vision and layered policy framework for securing India’s interests and leadership role in the Indian Ocean region. The mission aims to develop technologies and capabilities for exploration and sustainable utilization of deep sea resources.

Deep Ocean Resources

The ocean is full of resources and the deep oceans have abundant mineral resources like Polymetallic nodules, cobalt-rich manganese crust and hydrothermal deposits. Utilising all this mineral wealth of oceans for the benefit of mankind is the focus of our Deep Ocean Missions including the Mission Samudrayan. 

Polymetallic nodules found in the Central Indian Ocean Basin are particularly important. These potato-shaped metal nodules lie around 5,000-6,000 meters below the surface. They contain economically import metals like copper, nickel, cobalt and manganese.

In addition, the deep oceans contain hydrothermal sulphide deposits rich in metals like zinc, gold, copper and lead. New technologies will enable India to locate and exploit these deep sea mineral riches in an environmentally responsible manner. The Deep Ocean Mission will enhance India’s capabilities and competitiveness in the global marine minerals market.

Polymetallic Nodules

• Rich in copper, cobalt, manganese, nickel
• Formed over millions of years on deep sea beds
• India allocated 75,000 sq km in Central Indian Ocean by ISA

Polymetallic nodules found in the deep oceans are a valuable source of essential industrial metals like copper, cobalt, manganese and nickel. These unique rock concretions lie on the sea floor at depths of 5000-6000 meters in the Central Indian Ocean Basin.

The nodules are composed of concentric layers of various metallic compounds like manganese, iron, nickel, copper and cobalt. They range from the size of potatoes to round stones as big as 25 cm across. Over millions of years, the metals dissolved in seawater slowly precipitated and deposited around a core on the seabed. The nodules accreted layer upon layer at an extremely slow pace of few millimeters every million years to form the rich concentric structures.

These nodules offer our industry an alternative source of vital minerals without relying on land deposits. Deep sea mining technologies will enable tapping this ocean resource in an eco-friendly manner without disturbing terrestrial habitats. The metals can be extracted and brought to surface using pumps and pipes. Polymetallic nodules are a sustainable mineral resource that will fuel India’s economic growth and manufacturing sectors.

Area of Exploration

These Polymetallic nodules occur in abundance in the Central Indian Ocean Basin at depths of 5000m – 6000m. An area of 75,000 sq km. in the Central Indian Ocean Basin was allocated by the International Seabed Authority (ISA), United Nations to Govt. of India for exploration and development of technology and to mine these Polymetallic nodules from a depth of 5000-6000m.

Moving in this direction Ministry of Earth Sciences has launched India’s First Manned Ocean Mission Samudrayan at Chennai on 29 OCT 2021. It will be a part of the Deep Ocean Mission, which was launched in 2018 by the Earth Science Ministry of India.

Mission Samudrayan project has been undertaken by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Let’s have a brief look first at the NIOT

National Institute of Ocean Technology

The National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) was established in November 1993 as an autonomous society under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India. NIOT is managed by a Governing Council and the Director is the head of the Institute.

The major aim of starting NIOT under the Ministry of Earth Sciences is to develop reliable indigenous technology to solve the various engineering problems associated with harvesting non-living and living resources in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which is about two-thirds of the land area of India.

National Institute of Ocean Technology Details

Now let’s see about the mission

Mission Samudrayan

Mission Samudrayan Details

• Mission Samudrayan project has been undertaken by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT).
• It will be a part of the Deep Ocean Mission.
• Under the mission Samudrayan a submersible vehicle MATSYA 6000 will be produced. It is designed to carry 3 persons in a 2.1-meter diameter Titanium Alloy Personnel Sphere with an operational endurance of 12 hrs and systems to support emergency endurance up to 96 hrs.
• MATSYA 6000 could work at a depth between 1000 and 5500 meters.
• various organizations including ISRO, IITM and DRDO roped in to support the development.

Significance of Mission Samudrayan

Objectives of Mission Samudrayan

• Samudrayan will be carrying out deep ocean exploration of the non-living resources such as polymetallic manganese nodules, gas hydrates, hydro-thermal sulphides and cobalt crusts.
• underwater vehicle Samudrayan carrying out subsea activities such as high-resolution bathymetry, biodiversity assessment, geoscientific observation, search activities, salvage operation and engineering support. 

The subsystem of the mission

Following critical subsystems development is necessary for development of Samudrayan:

• Development of a Titanium Alloy Personnel Sphere, Human support and safety system in enclosed space, low-density buoyancy modules, Ballast and Trim Systems.
• Pressure compensated batteries and propulsion system, control and communication systems and Launching and Recovery System.

Timeline of Mission Samudrayan

• MATSYA 6000 preliminary design is completed and Sea trials of 500 metre rated shallow water version is expected to take place in the last quarter of 2022 
• MATSYA 6000 the deep-water manned submersible will be ready for trials by the second quarter of 2024.

MATSYA 6000

International Example

Fendouzhe manned submersible developed by China in 2020 has touched ~11000m water depths.

Countries with Piloted Crewed Under-Sea Expeditions Beyond 5,000 Meters

International Seabed Authority (ISA)

• The International Seabed Authority (ISA) is an autonomous international organization set up under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea UNCLOS, 
• It allows the area for deep-sea mining.
• India was the first country to receive Pioneer Investor status by ISA in 1987 and was allocated an area of about 1.5 lakh sq km. in the Central Indian Ocean Basin for nodule exploration.
• In 2002, after a complete resource analysis of the seabed, India surrendered 50% area to ISA and retained an area of 75,000 sq km.
• Further analysis has now helped to narrow down the mining area to 18,000 sq km, and it will be the ‘First Generation Mine-site’.

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