Regularly diving 4km+ below the surface of the ocean is no easy task. However, for the past 6 decades, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution have made 5000 such dives safely using the world's most famous Deep Submergence Vehicle: Alvin.
Unsurprisingly, the design and operating considerations for such a craft are extensive to say the least. This presentation walks through the main aspects to consider when exploring such a harsh environment and how scientists and engineers at the WHOI were able to turn the dream of a safe DSV into reality.
List of sources used available here:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/a1gz9xlyoch...
00:00 Intro
02:22 Buoyancy Systems
10:00 Pressure Sphere
23:51 Navigation
29:16 Life Support
31:07 Communication
33:00 Power and Propulsion
35:21 Past Incidents
37:33 Certification
40:02 Conclusions