14 December 1959. TRIESTE was launched with the 

 new sphere modifications in place. It was found that the 

 weeping had not been completely arrested even though the 

 sphere segments were in approximate alignment. A har- 

 bor dive was made on this date to test the repair of the 

 joint. 



18 December 1959. First ocean test dive of the re- 

 paired sphere was made to a depth of 5700 feet. No sig- 

 nificant amount of water entry was noted at the joint. The 

 weeping did continue and gave evidence of creating some 

 corrosion problem at the joint surfaces. Upon completion 

 of this test dive, M. Piccard returned to the United States. 



29 December 1959. Three harbor dives were made 

 for training bathyscaph operators. LT Walsh, LT Shu- 

 maker, and Dr. A. B. Rechnitzer each made solo dives 

 to a depth of 100 feet in Apra Harbor, Guam. 



30 December 1959. Training dives were continued in 

 100 foot depths at Apra Harbor; two dives were made. 



2 January 1960. M. Piccard returned. Work com- 

 menced on preparing the bathyscaph for the next progres- 

 sive deep dive. 



8 January 1960. Dive No. 69 of the bathyscaph took 

 place in the Marianas Trench to a depth of 2 3, 070 feet. 

 This was the final deep test dive prior to diving in the 

 Challenger Deep. 



2 3 January 1960. Successful deep dive was made in 

 the Challenger Deep 2 00 miles southwest of Guam in a 

 water depth of 35, 800 feet. 



30 January 1960. Drydocked TRIESTE at SRF for 

 inspection. 



1 February 1960. Dr. A. B. Rechnitzer, M. 

 J. Piccard, LT D. Walsh, USN, and LT L. A. Shumaker, 

 USN, the principals involved in the NEKTON diving opera- 

 tions, departed Guam for official ceremonies in Washing- 

 ton, D. C. 



19 February 1960. Principals returned to Guam (with 

 the exception of M. Piccard who terminated his associa- 

 tion with the project) where it was determined that further 

 operations for Project NEKTON were no longer possible 



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