Astronaut Titanic: "I landed on the wreckage, this is the last frontier"

Newfoundland, August 14, 2021 – This time the star man has fallen to one Depth 3800m, in the depthsAtlantic Ocean, Off the coast of Terranova, to investigate one of history’s greatest and most disturbing mysteries, a The sinking of the Titanic Which took place on the night between 14 and 15 April 1912. Scott ParaczynskiAnd Former NASA astronaut – Explore space too with Paulo Nespoli NS Umberto Guidone – He’s part of a crew OceanGate Tours, a company based in Nassau (Bahamas) that has been documenting the wreck area since June. A project made possible by Ahigh tech, starting from Titan submarineMade of carbon fiber and titanium in collaboration with NASA and designed by OceanGate, in this case the headquarters of Everett (Washington). They were recruited too citizen scientistsParticipation fee 150 million dollars. They are not tourists and this is not a tour, everyone is necessary to the success of the project, the organizers of the expedition repeat from the very beginning, because the news spreads all over the world, as always when the Titanic participates. They explain that mission specialists “support dive planning, working alongside researchers and scientists to capture 4K video footage, laser scanning and 3D images.” The OceanGate Expeditions forecasting project will take years, including documenting “the marine biology of the area. There are hundreds of unique species at the wreck site.”

Five questions for the Titanic astronaut

But is it difficult to explore space or the ocean floor?
“Both are very difficult – admits Scott Parazynski -. It takes a great deal of preparation, the highest quality engineering and a lot of perseverance to overcome challenges. There is a huge pressure difference in going to the extreme depths of the Titanic. This makes the mission an extraordinary engineering challenge.”

Technology and science but not only. He found himself in front of the grave of 1,500 people.
“Yes, it suggests. But it is nonetheless a great appreciation for documenting marine archeology and marine biology for this marine World Heritage site. The deep oceans are truly one of our last frontiers. Besides space, they are ripe places for exploration and scientific research that will eventually benefit the discoveries made.” all mankind.

What is its goal?
“Being an astronaut has allowed me to see the fragility of our planet, especially our oceans. This global perspective makes us understand the need to conserve the Earth, given the very clear indications we have of humanity’s impact on it,” eg aircraft paths, deforestation and other scars that can be seen clearly from space. Having had the opportunity to fly into space and see our planet from an orbital perspective, I am very committed to preserving our oceans and work with companies like OceanGate Expeditions on important initiatives like these. “

What is the condition of the wreck of the Titanic?
“Staying at the bottom of the ocean for more than a hundred years, with the endless current, along with the great oxidation of the metal surfaces, severely damaged the structural integrity of the Titanic. During my dive, we landed in the vast debris field and saw the traces scattered on the ocean floor. Other dives went back and forth. The wreckage, and you can clearly see the collapse of the hull. PH Nargeolet, who has dived several times into the Titanic for several decades, noted that the currents and bacterial oxidation of iron have a significant impact on the state of the wreck.”

What new knowledge will this campaign bring?
“This year was the first of a series of planned Titanic expeditions that OceanGate intends to conduct. The expeditions will determine the ecology and biology of this extraordinary place over several years, including detailed mapping of the site. The studies will certainly help naval architects to better design ocean-going ships and allowing biologists to have a greater understanding of life at the extreme depths. Understanding life under these conditions is particularly interesting to me as an astronaut. Especially as we prepare to send astronauts to Mars every day in search of possible life. What could life be like on another planet? Will we have the tools to identify and characterize it? How can it adapt to the hostile environment of another planetary body?”