RC Sub to Study Ross Ice Shelf

Northern Illinois University and DOER Marine today plans to send its 28 ft. long submarine under the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica, a place too treacherous for humans. It was designed to check out conditions below where the ice is eroding because of warm water. The cigar-shaped sub flattens and expands once in the water and can shoot images as well and take measurements of the ice, water and sediment.

Because it runs on power from a generator, it could stay down there indefinitely but a fail-safe was built in so that it could be hauled up by cable, just in case. Their first test drive will occur in Lake Tahoe March 11.

Via NIU

Read More in: Robot Science/Medicine | Robot Vehicles

Share this Article with others:

Related Articles:

• Must Have: New Real Steel Promos - Sep 02, 2011
• NASA To Focus on Mars, Jupiter - Jul 26, 2011
• Don-8r Panhandles For Its Own support - Jun 21, 2011

Came straight to this page? Visit Robot Snob for all the latest news.