June 22, 2021: Orpheus
Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, 2021 Technology Demonstration. Download larger version (jpg, 1.3 MB).
In May 2021, NOAA Ocean Exploration led the 2021 Technology Demonstration on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer. The expedition provided an opportunity to test several technologies that will allow the ocean exploration community to explore deeper, farther, and more comprehensively than previously possible. One of the technologies tested was the Orpheus autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), shown here.
Designed by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in collaboration with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to withstand the pressure in the ocean down to 10,000 meters (6.2 miles) depth, Orpheus-class AUVs will provide access to some of the deepest parts of our ocean, including the hadal zone. Integration of a vision-based system for estimating relative position developed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, similar to the Terrain Relative Navigation system used on the Mars Perseverance rover, will allow the AUVs to quickly and autonomously sense their locations relative to the seafloor to avoid hazards and recognize seafloor features that may be of scientific interest. Equipped with cameras to survey the seafloor and having the potential for customization to meet varying mission objectives, these AUVs can help to answer fundamental questions about what is found in the deepest parts of our ocean.