Samudrayaan mission: Matsya 6000 to explore the deep sea; it will dive to shocking depths

Following successful lunar and solar missions, India is preparing for Samudrayaan mission, a deep-sea human mission launching in 2026. Yes, 3 humans will dive deep into the sea to the terrifying depth of 6000 metres.  

The Samudrayaan mission involves a human-occupied vessel (HOV) called Matsya 6000, designed to explore the ocean's depths without harming its ecosystem.

The Matsya 6000 will support India's blue economy and create opportunities for clean energy.

The Samudrayaan mission comprises an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) - Ocean Mineral Explorer (OMe 6000) and a manned submersible - Matsyan 6000. These HOVs will allow physical inspection of seabed sites licensed by the International Seabed Authority (ISA), according to NIOT data. 

India joins an elite group including China, France, Japan, Russia, and the US in the race for deep-sea mining, aiming to harvest polymetallic nodules crucial for electric vehicle batteries.

Technical challenges: Hindustan Zinc Ltd, a Udaipur-based company, has shown the ability to extract essential metals from polymetallic nodules. 

However, for the Samudrayaan mission, challenges remain in extracting manganese and lithium from these nodules.

Economic Challenges: Deep-sea mining presents financial risks, illustrated by the bankruptcy of Nautilus Minerals. The economic viability depends on factors like extraction costs, logistics, and technological investments.

Deep-sea mining offers India a path towards clean energy, supporting its commitments under the Paris Agreement.

Samudrayaan mission represents India's ambitious step into deep-sea mining for clean energy, yet it faces technical and economic hurdles that will need to be overcome to achieve its goals.