Victor 6000

Victor 6000 is a deep-water remotely operated vehicle (ROV) operated by the French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea (IFREMER). In service since 1999, it can reach depths up to 6,000 m (20,000 ft).

Design

Victor 6000 is a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) that weighs 4.6 t (4.5 long tons; 5.1 short tons) and measures 3.07 m (10.1 ft) long, 2.77 m (9 ft 1 in) high, and 2.14 m (7 ft 0 in) wide. It is capable of reaching depths of 6,000 m (20,000 ft). Victor 6000 is controlled and powered via a 8.5 km (5.3 mi) cable that connects it to its host ship, but can operate autonomously for 100 hours.^[1]^[2]

Operational history

From 30 April to 3 June 2002, Victor 6000, aboard the IFREMER research ship Atalante [fr; de; el], participated in the PHARE (Peuplements hydrothermaux, leurs associations et relations avec l'environnement) oceanographic campaign and featured in a documentary about the expedition by Jean-François Ternay [fr].^[3]

The fauna on display in the Abyss Box pressurised deep sea tank were collected by Victor 6000.^[4]

During a scientific expedition with the IFREMER research ship Pourquoi Pas? in November 2020, Victor 6000 was used to discover a SNCASE Aquilon jet fighter-bomber, missing since 1960, at a depth of 2,400 m (7,900 ft) to the south of Porquerolles, France.^[5]

2023 Titan submersible incident

In 2023, Victor 6000 and Atalante were used in a rescue attempt in the search for the Titan submersible.^[6]

Sources

^ "Victor 6000". French oceanographic fleet. French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea. 12 September 2019. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
^ Saubadu, Laurence; Gisbert Sanchez, Helena (21 June 2023). "Victor 6000 Underwater Robot". Barron's. Agence France-Presse. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
^ "Phare 2002, la campagne océanographique". Canal U (in French). Government of France. January 2006. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
^ "Les abysses". Océanopolis (in French). Retrieved 2023-06-23.
^ Groizeleau, Vincent (27 November 2020). "Le Pourquoi pas? découvre l'épave d'un Aquilon disparu avec son pilote en 1960". Mer et Marine (in French). Retrieved 27 November 2020.
^ "In race against clock, diving robot joins search for Titanic sub". South China Morning Post. 21 June 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2023.

[1] "Victor 6000". French oceanographic fleet. French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea. 12 September 2019. Retrieved 21 June 2023.

[2] Saubadu, Laurence; Gisbert Sanchez, Helena (21 June 2023). "Victor 6000 Underwater Robot". Barron's. Agence France-Presse. Retrieved 21 June 2023.

[3] "Phare 2002, la campagne océanographique". Canal U (in French). Government of France. January 2006. Retrieved 21 June 2023.

[4] "Les abysses". Océanopolis (in French). Retrieved 2023-06-23.

[5] Groizeleau, Vincent (27 November 2020). "Le Pourquoi pas? découvre l'épave d'un Aquilon disparu avec son pilote en 1960". Mer et Marine (in French). Retrieved 27 November 2020.

[6] "In race against clock, diving robot joins search for Titanic sub". South China Morning Post. 21 June 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2023.

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