Archimède

Step into the depths of maritime history and explore the incredible journey of the Archimède, a pioneering bathyscaphe that now resides in the Cité de la Mer museum in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, France. Named after the ancient Greek philosopher and scientist Archimedes, this fascinating vessel has a storied past that spans the globe and the deepest parts of our oceans.

The Birth of Archimède

In the mid-1950s, the French Navy embarked on an ambitious project to build a bathyscaphe, a type of deep-sea submersible. The project was spearheaded by Pierre Willm and naval officer Georges Houot, who drew on their experiences with the FNRS-3, an earlier bathyscaphe. Construction began in 1961 at the Arsenal of Toulon, and by July of that year, the Archimède was launched.

Unlike its predecessors, the Archimède featured a fully ship-shaped float, a design that improved its seaworthiness and allowed it to be towed at speeds of up to 8 knots on the surface. This innovative design also enabled the vessel to move horizontally on the ocean floor, a significant advancement in underwater exploration technology.

Early Expeditions

The Archimède's maiden voyage took place in the Mediterranean Sea, where it reached depths of up to 2,300 meters. However, its most notable early expedition was to the Kuril-Kamchatka Trench in Japan. In April 1962, the bathyscaphe was transported by cargo plane to Japan, where it conducted several dives. On July 25, 1962, the Archimède reached an astonishing depth of 9,545 meters, the second-deepest dive at the time, surpassed only by the Trieste's record in 1960.

Global Exploration

Over the next few years, the Archimède continued to push the boundaries of deep-sea exploration. In 1964, it ventured into the Puerto Rico Trench, reaching a depth of 8,300 meters. The following year, it explored the Mediterranean Sea near Cape Matapan, Greece, diving to 5,110 meters. In 1966, the bathyscaphe descended to 4,390 meters off the coast of Madeira. Another expedition to the Kuril-Kamchatka Trench in 1967 saw the vessel reach 9,260 meters.

During these dives, the Archimède conducted invaluable research in biology, geology, and geophysics, helping scientists better understand the mysterious depths of our oceans.

Rescue Missions

The Archimède was not just a scientific vessel; it also played a crucial role in several rescue missions. In 1968, it participated in the search for the French submarine Minerve, which had sunk off the coast of Toulon. Two years later, the bathyscaphe was involved in the search for another sunken submarine, the Eurydice. In 1970, the Archimède was instrumental in the recovery of the unmanned submersible Cyana, which had sunk to a depth of 3,400 meters during a test dive. Using its manipulator arm, the Archimède detached the Cyana's emergency ballast, allowing it to surface safely.

Scientific Collaborations

The Archimède's contributions to science continued with its participation in the French-American Mid-Ocean Undersea Study (FAMOUS) project in the mid-1970s. This project focused on studying the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and involved other submersibles like the Alvin and the Cyana. The Archimède's ability to move horizontally on the ocean floor made it an invaluable asset in these explorations.

Design and Features

The Archimède's design was a marvel of engineering. The float measured 22.1 meters in length, 5 meters in width, and 9.1 meters in height. It contained 170 cubic meters of gasoline for buoyancy and carried 57.5 tons of ballast. The pressure sphere, made of steel alloyed with chromium, nickel, and molybdenum, had walls up to 15 centimeters thick. This sphere, with an internal diameter of 2.1 meters, could theoretically withstand pressures at depths of up to 30,000 meters.

The bathyscaphe could carry up to 2.7 tons of scientific equipment and had a crew of three: a pilot and two scientists or engineers. Its manipulator arm allowed it to interact with the ocean floor, collecting samples and conducting experiments.

Retirement and Legacy

After years of groundbreaking exploration and service, the Archimède was retired in 1974 and stored at the naval arsenal in Cherbourg. In 2001, the bathyscaphe was transferred to the Cité de la Mer museum, where it has been on display ever since. Visitors can marvel at this engineering marvel and learn about its incredible contributions to oceanography and deep-sea exploration.

The Archimède stands as a testament to human ingenuity and the relentless pursuit of knowledge. Its legacy continues to inspire new generations of explorers and scientists, reminding us of the vast, uncharted territories that still lie beneath the waves.