Branson plans sea missions
Source: Agencies |
April 7, 2011, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
VIRGIN Group founder Richard Branson, known for such exploits as trying to balloon around the world, plans to explore the deepest parts of the world's oceans with a jet-like submarine.
The vessel is capable of descents of more than 11,000 meters below the surface, Branson said on Tuesday in Newport Beach, California.
His Virgin Oceanic project will undertake five dives over two years. The first is set for later this year, when the team plans to explore the Pacific Ocean's Mariana Trench at a depth near 11,000 meters.
Branson plans to pilot a second dive himself, into the Puerto Rico Trench in the Atlantic Ocean.
Other areas to be explored are the Molloy Deep in the Arctic Ocean, South Sandwich Trench in the Southern Ocean and Diamantina in the Indian Ocean.
"There is just so much to explore, so much to discover," Branson said. "We are going to... learn some fascinating things that will hopefully be useful for mankind."
Branson said he expects the project to cost less than US$10 million.
The vessel is capable of descents of more than 11,000 meters below the surface, Branson said on Tuesday in Newport Beach, California.
His Virgin Oceanic project will undertake five dives over two years. The first is set for later this year, when the team plans to explore the Pacific Ocean's Mariana Trench at a depth near 11,000 meters.
Branson plans to pilot a second dive himself, into the Puerto Rico Trench in the Atlantic Ocean.
Other areas to be explored are the Molloy Deep in the Arctic Ocean, South Sandwich Trench in the Southern Ocean and Diamantina in the Indian Ocean.
"There is just so much to explore, so much to discover," Branson said. "We are going to... learn some fascinating things that will hopefully be useful for mankind."
Branson said he expects the project to cost less than US$10 million.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
