Samudrayaan: India likely to do second wet test before big Matsya-6000 dive
The National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) in Chennai will likely conduct the second wet test after it integrates the newly arrived titanium exo-frame of the mission with the spherical sphere.
"We have started receiving the equipment from the industry for the 500-meter dive. The titanium exo-frame has arrived at the NIOT and the team is integrating it following which the committee overlooking the development will meet to decide if we need a second wet test and when can it be done before the big 500-meter dive," Professor Balaji Ramakrishnan, Director, NIOT told IndiaToday.in. The scientific payloads, including multiple oceanographic sensors, were thoroughly tested to confirm their functionality. (Photo: Sibiu Tripathi)
The team is repopulating the instrument into the exo-frame as NIOT awaits the titanium sphere that will replace the current structure developed for testing. The sphere is the crew module that will house the crew and the life support systems.
Satisfied with the maiden wet test, the teams are analysing the changes that need to be done before the second wet test that will likely take place before the end of 2025. WHAT HAPPENED ON FIRST WET TEST?
The maiden wet test of India's giant ocean vehicle took place at the L&T Shipbuilding facility in Kattupalli Port near Chennai in February 2025.
The wet test involved 10 dives, comprising five manned and five unmanned dives, to assess the robustness of power and control networks, floatation and stability, human support and safety systems, and maneuverability.
The scientific payloads, including multiple oceanographic sensors, were thoroughly tested to confirm their functionality.
Sources within the NIOT told IndiaToday.in that the team conducted six various types of tests which included an insulation test, flotation test, submergence test, and drop-test. A total of 10 engineers spent over three hours each during the manned tests.
The team tested the functionality of the oxygen tanks in the spherical hull along with the carbon dioxide scrubbers that will be key to the life support system of Matsya-6000. They were joined by former Naval submariner J P Singh, who has been selected to pilot the submersible.
NIOT is still aiming to conduct the 500 meter dive before 2026 and Prof Balajai added that the mission is on track when it comes to the timeline.
Matsya-6000, a fourth-generation deep-ocean submersible, is designed to accommodate three humans within its 2.1-meter diameter spherical hull.
The vehicle is equipped with advanced systems, including a main ballast system for diving, thrusters for movement, a battery bank for power, and syntactic foam for buoyancy.
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