Schlosser 



SURFACE SUPPORT SHIP 



The surface support ship was equipped with a Gifft echo sound- 

 er and recorder which was incorporated as standard instrumentation. 

 This equipment could be trailed over the side for bottom profiles by 

 each scientist at his discretion prior to diving at a given site. To 

 further provide scientific support, a small shipboard van was utilized 

 with the basic at-sea requirements for minor servicing and repair of 

 electronic components and instruments. 



INSTRUMENTING THE SUBMERSIBLE 



Standard instrumentation aboard the submersible was estab- 

 lished for the purpose of recording each mission profile. These 

 instruments were included as part of the scientific payload, but were 

 made removable where possible to provide payload flexibility. The 

 movie camera was removed on many dives in order to add other 

 scientific instruments. 



External Attachments 



Jettisonable instrumentation brow. The flexibility necessary 

 for the "systems" approach called for an instrumentation-attachment 

 device which would not only provide attachment points, but increase 

 the payload to fulfill mission profiles. The NEL-designed, remov- 

 able instrumentation brow , utilizing syntactic foam, provided this 

 capability and payload was increased by 220 pounds. Shipboard 

 changes could now be made, providing mission versatility and more 

 efficient utilization of the submersible. 



Tethering. The ability to hover at various increments of 

 height from the sea floor necessitated development of a simple teth- 

 ering device. Fig. 2 illustrates a typical tether arrangement. The 

 procedure followed on this type of dive was for DEEPSTAR to 

 descend full-tether distance from the bottom. By means of forward 

 propulsion during final descent, the tether was allowed to string out 

 aft and lay in that position as measurements were made on the sea 

 floor. Small weights equal to the weight of the first tether were then 

 dropped and DEEPSTAR would ascend to the desired height above the 

 sea floor and provide a stable platform for further measurements in 

 the desired increments of distance from the bottom. 



Lighting. DEEPSTAR was equipped with external lighting con- 

 forming to specifications'"', and sufficient for visual identification 

 and viewing. 



45 



