Manned Submersibles

Introduction

The purpose of this website is to update and extend the listing of manned submersibles first compiled by R. Frank Busby in 1976 with the publication of Manned Submersibles. This book with its wealth of information and inclusion in the public domain has become a handbook for submersible enthusiasts. As Busby noted in the introduction the content was almost immediately out of date due to upgrades to the submersibles, changes in ownership, and new submersibles being launched. Busby himself updated the list only two years later with his Review of Manned Submersibles. This website is here to provide an accessible listing of the content Manned Submersibles and Review of Manned Submersibles and attempt to provide information on the fate of these vehicles and to list the many submersibles that have been introduced to the market since.

Manned Submersibles Defined

There are quite a few overlapping definitions and terms used to describe what we will called a 'manned submersible,' the current term gaining popularity is Human Occupied Vehicle (HOV) as the alternative to a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). This website will continue to use the term 'manned submersible' and use Busby's definition from 1976:

A manned, non-combatant craft capable of independant operation on and under the water's surface which has its own propulsion power and a means of direct viewing for the occupants who are embarked within a dry atmosphere.

This excludes underwater habitats (no propulsion), military submarines and swimmer delivery vehicles (combatants), diver propulsion vehicles (no dry atmosphere). This definition does however include tethered craft such as WASP, and incredibly shallow diving craft such as the Bionic Dolphin.

With so much new construction it would be difficult if not impossible to track every new submersible built, in some cases only a single entry is made for a whole class of submersible and in other cases each submersible built has been given it's own entry.

Manned Submersibles: 1985—Present

Over the past 30 years the development of better computer systems and declining prices have caused the ROV and AUV to replace the manned submersible in many of its roles in the oil and research fields. Aside from aspiring superpowers developing deep diving research vessels to demonstrate their scientific prowess in lieu of participation in the space race, the majority of submersible development has taken place to provide for an expanding market for personal submarines. Whether individual builders, crowdfunded projects, or commercial products the main operator of the manned submersible is now the private individual. The megayacht industry has created a market for comfortable and easily piloted submersibles and in the past decade the number of commercials offerings has exploded and encouraged the production of amateur craft in the process.

C-EXPLORER 3

C-EXPLORER 3 General Information
Length:	4.23 m	Hatch Diameter:	N/A
Beam:	3.21 m	Life Support (Max):	288 man hours
Height:	2.33 m	Total Power:	43.2 kWh
Draft:	N/A	Cruise Speed:	N/A
Weight:	6010 kg	Max Speed:	3 kts
Operating Depth:	300 m	Pilots:	1
Crush Depth:	N/A	Observers/Divers:	2 / 0
Launch Date:	2014	Payload:	N/A

Pressure Hull: Spherical shape composed of acrylic.
Life Support: Carbon dioxide removed by scrubbing through Calcium-Hydroxide.
Builder: U-Boat Worx B.V., Breda, Netherlands.
Status: Operational.
Remarks: This class of submersible is available for purchase.

Deep Flight Dragon

Deep Flight Dragon General Information
Length:	5 m	Hatch Diameter:	N/A
Beam:	1.9 m	Life Support (Max):	144 man hours
Height:	1.1 m	Total Power:	14 kWh
Draft:	N/A	Cruise Speed:	N/A
Weight:	1800 kg	Max Speed:	4 kts
Operating Depth:	100 m	Pilots:	1
Crush Depth:	N/A	Observers/Divers:	1 / 0
Launch Date:	2014	Payload:	250 kg

Life Support: Carbon dioxide removed by scrubbing through Soda Lime.
Builder: Hawkes Ocean Technologies, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Status: Operational.
Remarks: This class of submersible is available for purchase.

Deep Flight I

Deep Flight I General Information
Length:	3.96 m	Hatch Diameter:	N/A
Beam:	2.44 m	Life Support (Max):	18 man hours
Height:	0.91 m	Total Power:	N/A
Draft:	N/A	Cruise Speed:	4 kts
Weight:	1300 kg	Max Speed:	12 kts
Operating Depth:	1000 m	Pilots:	1
Crush Depth:	N/A	Observers/Divers:	N/A
Launch Date:	1995	Payload:	N/A

Pressure Hull: Cylindrical shape with hemispherical end caps composed of glass FRP.
Builder: Graham Hawkes, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Deep Flight Super Falcon

Deep Flight Super Falcon General Information
Length:	6.2 m	Hatch Diameter:	N/A
Beam:	2.6 m	Life Support (Max):	48 man hours
Height:	1.2 m	Total Power:	N/A
Draft:	N/A	Cruise Speed:	2 kts
Weight:	1820 kg	Max Speed:	5 kts
Operating Depth:	305 m	Pilots:	1
Crush Depth:	915 m	Observers/Divers:	1 / 0
Launch Date:	2008	Payload:	230 kg

Builder: Hawkes Ocean Technologies, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Deepsea Challenger

Deepsea Challenger General Information
Length:	N/A	Hatch Diameter:	N/A
Beam:	N/A	Life Support (Max):	56 man hours
Height:	7.6 m	Total Power:	N/A
Draft:	N/A	Cruise Speed:	N/A
Weight:	11800 kg	Max Speed:	3 kts
Operating Depth:	10000 m	Pilots:	1
Crush Depth:	15200 m	Observers/Divers:	N/A
Launch Date:	2012	Payload:	N/A

Pressure Hull: Spherical shape composed of steel.
Builder: Acheron Project Pty Ltd, Sydney, Australia.

Euronaut

Euronaut General Information
Length:	16.01 m	Hatch Diameter:	N/A
Beam:	2.5 m	Life Support (Max):	168 man hours
Height:	4.17 m	Total Power:	N/A
Draft:	N/A	Cruise Speed:	N/A
Weight:	57300 kg	Max Speed:	8 kts
Operating Depth:	250 m	Pilots:	3
Crush Depth:	500 m	Observers/Divers:	N/A
Launch Date:	2012	Payload:	168 kg

Pressure Hull: Cylindrical shape with hemispherical end caps composed of steel.
Builder: Carsten Standfuss, Bremerhaven, Germany.
Status: Operational.

Eurosub

Eurosub General Information
Length:	4.5 m	Hatch Diameter:	N/A
Beam:	1.9 m	Life Support (Max):	96 man hours
Height:	1.8 m	Total Power:	28.8 kWh
Draft:	1.2 m	Cruise Speed:	N/A
Weight:	2400 kg	Max Speed:	N/A
Operating Depth:	250 m	Pilots:	1
Crush Depth:	500 m	Observers/Divers:	2 / 0
Launch Date:	2009	Payload:	N/A

Pressure Hull: Cylindrical shape with hemispherical end caps composed of S 355 J2 G3 steel.
Builder: Carsten Standfuss and Emile van Essen, Bremerhaven, Germany.
Status: Operational.

Hiper Sub 2

Hiper Sub 2 General Information
Length:	3.16 m	Hatch Diameter:	N/A
Beam:	2.73 m	Life Support (Max):	192 man hours
Height:	1.48 m	Total Power:	32 kWh
Draft:	N/A	Cruise Speed:	N/A
Weight:	2480 kg	Max Speed:	6 kts
Operating Depth:	100 m	Pilots:	1
Crush Depth:	N/A	Observers/Divers:	1 / 0
Launch Date:	2015	Payload:	N/A

JAGO

JAGO General Information
Length:	3 m	Hatch Diameter:	N/A
Beam:	2 m	Life Support (Max):	96 man hours
Height:	2.5 m	Total Power:	13 kWh
Draft:	N/A	Cruise Speed:	1 kts
Weight:	3000 kg	Max Speed:	N/A
Operating Depth:	400 m	Pilots:	1
Crush Depth:	N/A	Observers/Divers:	1 / 0
Launch Date:	1989	Payload:	N/A

Pressure Hull: Cylindrical shape with hemispherical end caps composed of steel.
Builder: Max Planck Institute for Behavioral Physiology, Seewiesen, Germany.
Classification: Det Norske Veritas Germanischer Lloyd
Status: Retired 2021.

Jiaolong

Jiaolong General Information
Length:	8.3 m	Hatch Diameter:	2.1 m
Beam:	3 m	Life Support (Max):	84 man hours
Height:	3.2 m	Total Power:	N/A
Draft:	N/A	Cruise Speed:	1 kts
Weight:	22000 kg	Max Speed:	2.5 kts
Operating Depth:	7000 m	Pilots:	N/A
Crush Depth:	N/A	Observers/Divers:	N/A
Launch Date:	2010	Payload:	N/A

Pressure Hull: Spherical shape.
Builder: China Shipbuilding Industry Corp., China.
Classification: China Classification Society
Status: Operational.

Marlin S-101 (Noctiluca)

Marlin S-101 (Noctiluca) General Information
Length:	8.55 m	Hatch Diameter:	0.48 m
Beam:	1.2 m	Life Support (Max):	192 man hours
Height:	2.1 m	Total Power:	10 kWh
Draft:	1 m	Cruise Speed:	N/A
Weight:	4200 kg	Max Speed:	4.5 kts
Operating Depth:	200 m	Pilots:	1
Crush Depth:	370 m	Observers/Divers:	1 / 0
Launch Date:	1988	Payload:	200 kg

Pressure Hull: Cylindrical shape with hemispherical end caps composed of 43 A steel.
Life Support: Carbon dioxide removed by scrubbing through Sodasorb.
Builder: Marlin Submarines Ltd., Plymouth, UK.
Status: Operational.
Operator: Community Submersibles Project, Berkeley, CA, USA.

MIR 1

MIR 1 General Information
Length:	7.8 m	Hatch Diameter:	N/A
Beam:	3.8 m	Life Support (Max):	246 man hours
Height:	3.65 m	Total Power:	100 kWh
Draft:	N/A	Cruise Speed:	N/A
Weight:	18700 kg	Max Speed:	2.5 kts
Operating Depth:	6000 m	Pilots:	2
Crush Depth:	N/A	Observers/Divers:	1 / 0
Launch Date:	1987	Payload:	300 kg

Pressure Hull: Spherical shape composed of maraging steel.
Life Support: Carbon dioxide removed by scrubbing through LiOH.
Builder: Rauma-Repola Oceanics, Lokomo, Finland.
Classification: Det Norske Veritas Germanischer Lloyd
Status: Operational.

Ocean Pearl

Ocean Pearl General Information
Length:	4.53 m	Hatch Diameter:	N/A
Beam:	2.44 m	Life Support (Max):	192 man hours
Height:	2.25 m	Total Power:	28 kWh
Draft:	N/A	Cruise Speed:	3 kts
Weight:	3200 kg	Max Speed:	N/A
Operating Depth:	150 m	Pilots:	1
Crush Depth:	N/A	Observers/Divers:	1 / 0
Launch Date:	2010	Payload:	227 kg

Pressure Hull: Spherical shape composed of acrylic.
Life Support: Carbon dioxide removed by scrubbing through Sodasorb.
Builder: SEAmagine Hydrospace Corporation, Upland, CA, USA.
Status: Operational.
Remarks: This class of submersible is available for purchase.

R300

R300 General Information
Length:	5.8 m	Hatch Diameter:	0.55 m
Beam:	2 m	Life Support (Max):	79 man hours
Height:	1.2 m	Total Power:	12 kWh
Draft:	N/A	Cruise Speed:	7 kts
Weight:	1921 kg	Max Speed:	26 kts
Operating Depth:	91 m	Pilots:	1
Crush Depth:	N/A	Observers/Divers:	0 / 0
Launch Date:	2008	Payload:	100 kg

Pressure Hull: Cylindrical with one hemispherical end cap and a conical section composed of A516 Grade 70 steel.
Life Support: Carbon dioxide removed by scrubbing through soda lime.
Builder: Cliff Redus, Devine, TX, USA.
Status: Operational.

SAGA

SAGA General Information
Length:	28.06 m	Hatch Diameter:	0.69 / 0.69 m
Beam:	7.4 m	Life Support (Max):	7800 man hours
Height:	8.5 m	Total Power:	6475 kWh
Draft:	3.65 m	Cruise Speed:	4 kts
Weight:	305000 kg	Max Speed:	6 kts
Operating Depth:	600 m	Pilots:	6
Crush Depth:	1200 m	Observers/Divers:	1 / 6
Launch Date:	1986	Payload:	3000 kg

Life Support: Carbon dioxide removed by scrubbing through Soda Lime.
Builder: Comex Industries, Marseille, France.
Classification: Lloyd’s Register of Shipping, Bureau Veritas

Sgt. Pepper's

Sgt. Pepper's General Information
Length:	2.98 m	Hatch Diameter:	N/A
Beam:	0.9 m	Life Support (Max):	N/A
Height:	0.9 m	Total Power:	N/A
Draft:	N/A	Cruise Speed:	N/A
Weight:	500 kg	Max Speed:	N/A
Operating Depth:	150 m	Pilots:	1
Crush Depth:	300 m	Observers/Divers:	N/A
Launch Date:	1987	Payload:	80 kg

Pressure Hull: Cylindrical shape with hemispherical end caps composed of steel.
Builder: Carsten Standfuss, Bremerhaven, Germany.
Status: Operational. Available for purchase.

Shenhai Yongshi (Deep Sea Warrior)

Shenhai Yongshi (Deep Sea Warrior) General Information
Length:	9.3 m	Hatch Diameter:	N/A
Beam:	3 m	Life Support (Max):	N/A
Height:	4 m	Total Power:	N/A
Draft:	N/A	Cruise Speed:	N/A
Weight:	20000 kg	Max Speed:	2.5 kts
Operating Depth:	4500 m	Pilots:	3
Crush Depth:	N/A	Observers/Divers:	N/A
Launch Date:	2017	Payload:	220 kg

Pressure Hull: Spherical shape.
Builder: China Shipbuilding Industry Corp., China.
Classification: China Classification Society
Status: Operational.

Shinkai 6500

Shinkai 6500 General Information
Length:	9.5 m	Hatch Diameter:	0.5 m
Beam:	2.7 m	Life Support (Max):	387 man hours
Height:	3.2 m	Total Power:	86.4 kWh
Draft:	2.7 m	Cruise Speed:	1 kts
Weight:	2600 kg	Max Speed:	2.5 kts
Operating Depth:	6500 m	Pilots:	2
Crush Depth:	10050 m	Observers/Divers:	1 / 0
Launch Date:	1989	Payload:	200 kg

Pressure Hull: Spherical shape composed of titanium.
Life Support: Carbon dioxide removed by scrubbing through LiOH.
Builder: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Kobe, Japan.
Classification: Nippon Kaiji Kyokai
Status: Operational.
Operator: Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (J, Japan.

Titan

Titan General Information
Length:	6.7 m	Hatch Diameter:	N/A
Beam:	2.8 m	Life Support (Max):	96 man hours
Height:	2.5 m	Total Power:	N/A
Draft:	2.5 m	Cruise Speed:	3 kts
Weight:	9525 kg	Max Speed:	3 kts
Operating Depth:	4000 m	Pilots:	1
Crush Depth:	3800 m	Observers/Divers:	4 / 0
Launch Date:	2018	Payload:	685 kg

Pressure Hull: Cylindrical shape with hemispherical end caps composed of titanium and body made of carbon FRP.
Builder: OceanGate Ltd., Everett, WA, USA.
Classification: Infamously none.
Status: Sunk on June 18, 2023.
Remarks: Investigation into the sinking is ongoing but likely caused by a hull implosion. All aboard were killed in the accident.

Triton 36000/2 (Limiting Factor)

Triton 36000/2 (Limiting Factor) General Information
Length:	4.6 m	Hatch Diameter:	0.45 m
Beam:	1.9 m	Life Support (Max):	96 man hours
Height:	3.7 m	Total Power:	65 kWh
Draft:	N/A	Cruise Speed:	N/A
Weight:	11700 kg	Max Speed:	3 kts
Operating Depth:	11000 m	Pilots:	1
Crush Depth:	N/A	Observers/Divers:	1 / 0
Launch Date:	2018	Payload:	220 kg

Pressure Hull: Spherical shape composed of titanium.
Builder: Triton Submarines, Vero Beach, FL, USA.
Classification: Det Norske Veritas Germanischer Lloyd
Status: Operational.
Remarks: Deepest diving manned submersible in the world.

UC1 Freya

UC1 Freya General Information
Length:	7 m	Hatch Diameter:	N/A
Beam:	1 m	Life Support (Max):	N/A
Height:	2.9 m	Total Power:	N/A
Draft:	N/A	Cruise Speed:	2.5 kts
Weight:	N/A	Max Speed:	3.5 kts
Operating Depth:	10 m	Pilots:	N/A
Crush Depth:	135 m	Observers/Divers:	N/A
Launch Date:	2002	Payload:	N/A

Builder: Peter Madsen, Farum, Denmark.
Status: Retired 2006. Sunk as an artificial reef near Copenhagen in 2008.

UC2 Kraka

UC2 Kraka General Information
Length:	12.6 m	Hatch Diameter:	N/A
Beam:	1 m	Life Support (Max):	N/A
Height:	2.9 m	Total Power:	N/A
Draft:	N/A	Cruise Speed:	3 kts
Weight:	N/A	Max Speed:	9 kts
Operating Depth:	40 m	Pilots:	N/A
Crush Depth:	N/A	Observers/Divers:	N/A
Launch Date:	2005	Payload:	N/A

Builder: Peter Madsen, Farum, Denmark.
Status: Retired 2009. On display at the Technical Museum of Denmark in Helsingør, Denmark.

UC3 Nautilus

UC3 Nautilus General Information
Length:	17.76 m	Hatch Diameter:	N/A
Beam:	2 m	Life Support (Max):	N/A
Height:	N/A	Total Power:	N/A
Draft:	N/A	Cruise Speed:	N/A
Weight:	N/A	Max Speed:	N/A
Operating Depth:	40 m	Pilots:	2
Crush Depth:	470 m	Observers/Divers:	4 / 0
Launch Date:	2008	Payload:	N/A

Pressure Hull: Cylindrical shape with hemispherical end caps composed of steel.
Builder: Peter Madsen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Status: Retired 2018. Destroyed in 2018 by Danish authorities.

VAS 525/60 LE MK 2

VAS 525/60 LE MK 2 General Information
Length:	8.4 m	Hatch Diameter:	N/A
Beam:	2.4 m	Life Support (Max):	576 man hours
Height:	2.6 m	Total Power:	N/A
Draft:	N/A	Cruise Speed:	N/A
Weight:	12980 kg	Max Speed:	6 kts
Operating Depth:	160 m	Pilots:	1
Crush Depth:	N/A	Observers/Divers:	5 / 0
Launch Date:	2015	Payload:	500 kg

Builder: GSE Trieste s.r.l., Ciserano, Italy.
Status: Operational.
Remarks: This class of submersible is available for purchase.

Appendix 1: Status of Submersibles—Past, Present, Future

Status of Submersibles—Past, Present, Future
Name	Builder	Launch Date	Operating Depth (m)	Crew	Status
All Ocean Industries (Optics II)	Charles Yuen Submersibles	1971	31