Context: Under the Deep Ocean Mission, a manned scientific submersible has been proposed to be developed for deep ocean exploration.

Background

• India's first manned ocean mission, Samudrayaan, at the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) in Chennai on October 29, 2021. 
• With the commencement of the Unique Ocean Mission, India joined the elite group of countries that have specialist technology and vehicles to conduct subsea missions, including the United States, Russia, France, Japan, and China.

About Samudrayaan Project

• It is a part of the Ministry of Earth Sciences' pilot project for deep ocean mining for rare minerals.
• National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) had developed and tested a 'personnel sphere’ for a manned submersible system for a 500-metre water depth rating.
• One Titanium alloy personnel sphere for a manned submersible system for 6000-metre water depth rating is under development in association with Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, ISRO, Thiruvananthapuram.

Significance

• This will open up more growth avenues to explore ocean resources for clean energy, drinking water, and blue economy.
• Developed countries have already carried out similar ocean missions. India is the 1st country among the developing nations to carry out a deep ocean mission.

The Matsya 6000

• It is the deepwater manned submersible under the Samudrayan project.
• It aims to send humans underwater for deep-sea exploration; it is a five-year project at an estimated cost of Rs 350 crores.
• It is capable of carrying three human beings in a titanium alloy personnel sphere of a 2.1-metre diameter enclosed space with an endurance of 12 hours and an additional 96 hours in case of an emergency situation.

Manned Submersible

• It is designed to carry three persons in a 2.1-meter diameter Titanium Alloy Personnel Sphere with an operational endurance of 12h and systems to support emergency endurance up to 96h. 
• Some of the critical subsystems of the manned submersibles are the development of Ti Alloy Personnel Sphere, Human support and safety system in enclosed space, low-density buoyancy modules, Ballast and Trim System. 
• Pressure compensated batteries and propulsion systems, control and communication systems and Launching and Recovery Systems. 

About Deep Ocean Mission

• It was approved in June 2021 by the (MoES). It aims to explore the deep ocean for resources, develop deep-sea technologies for sustainable use of ocean resources, and support the Blue Economy Initiatives of the Indian Government.
• The cost of the Mission has been estimated at Rs. 4,077 crore over a five-year period and will be implemented in phases.