No, the missing Titanic sub did not rely on Starlink for communication | Mashable.
No, SpaceX isn't responsible for the missing submersible's communication
An undated photo of OceanGate's Titan submersible descending in the sea. Credit: OceanGate / Handout / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images |
There's a lot of speculation swirling around the internet about the missing Titanic-bound submersible. But one thing is certain: The submersible's deep sea communication wasn't dependent on SpaceX's satellite internet product, Starlink.
The belief, suspicion, or confusion about Starlink's role in the lost Titan craft, which is holding five passengers in cramped quarters, was likely triggered by a now-deleted tweet from OceanGate, the company which operates the submersible. "The wreck of the Titanic lies about 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland. Without any cell towers in the middle of the ocean, we are relying on @Starlink to provide the communications we require throughout this year’s 2023 Titanic Expedition," the tweet read. Another tweet, from SpaceX's Starlink account in early June, reads "Internet from space supporting Titanic dive expedition."
Indeed, the vessel that ferried the Titan to the middle of the sea would benefit from satellite internet to communicate on the surface, use phones, post on social media, and beyond. The deleted tweet shows people on a laptop, presumably aboard the hired Canadian vessel taking the Titan, and its passengers, to a deep ocean dive site.
But when they're deep underwater, submarines and submersibles do not use satellite internet to communicate with the surface above. These craft rely on sound waves (a type of "mechanical" wave) to communicate simple messages like location from the dark depths. It's a technology called sonar, which is short for "sound navigation and ranging." Light waves, such as radio waves, don't transmit through deep waters, especially miles down.
"The Titan would have had an acoustic link with its surface vessel, set up through a transponder (a device for receiving a sonar signal) on its end, and a transceiver (a device that can both transmit and receive communications) on the surface vessel," Stefan Williams, a professor at the University of Sydney who develops marine robotic systems, wrote in The Conversation, a site that publishes articles written by academics and researchers.
Sound waves need to travel through a medium, like an atmosphere or water. Radio waves, which Starlink uses, can easily pass through the vacuum of space and the atmosphere, but not through water, especially deep water. The Titanic lies some 12,500 feet beneath the surface.
"Water turns out to be a fantastic medium – albeit a slow one – for carrying mechanical waves long distances, making Sonar the top choice for underwater object detection," writes the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
(Ongoing research could one day make deeper-water WiFi a reality, though it's unknown how well it would work, and at what depths.)
Importantly, OceanGate is currently involved in a serious rescue mission, and it's still unknown what has happened to its Titan submersible. Many questions remain about how its overall operations, including its communications on the surface, impacted the mission gone awry, and potential tragedy.
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It's possible the submersible lost power. Its hull could have been compromised. What is known, however, is OceanGate was once sued by a former employee over safety risks, which was first reported by The New Republic. The suit highlighted some potentially major design flaws.
A multinational effort continues the search on Wednesday, both on the ocean surface and below, for the missing submersible and its passengers. Their sonar isn't working, and any oxygen supply is fast diminishing.
If it imploded how would they find them? They’d need another submersible to go down and look for whatever is left when something under that much pressure implodes. It’s not a bathtub. There are strong currents.
ReplyDeleteThey have a 1% chance of being found and somehow gotten to the surface. Here’s hoping.
Everyone knows how reliable game controllers can be 🙄 I’ve seen my brother throw his so many times because it wasn’t working properly 😆
ReplyDeleteNah I trust logitech what I wouldn't trust is the lack of testing on the hull and how many warnings they had that they shouldn't take the vessel that deep.
DeleteThey were repeatedly warned that there might be catastrophic safety problems posed by the way it was developed, documents show.
ReplyDeletehttps://apnews.com/article/titanic-missing-submersible-lawsuit-oceangate-0e5fc9a0313938fdf408b1459538d9ef
It's the Logitech gaming controller, they should have asked me and I could have told them not to use it based on how many games I've lost.
ReplyDeletethey should've used a Nokia.
Deletehttps://media.tenor.co/-0CybJQBaAkAAAAC/thisisfinland-finland.gif?t=AAX-ppbsyhYA8kemvwmLKA&c=VjFfZmFjZWJvb2s&itemid=21643420
My prayers for these people and those trying to rescue, success to all. Heaven Father, please help.
ReplyDeletetheir stepson is at a Blink 182 concert while this is going on. They don’t even love each other.
Deletesource ?
Deleteyour right. Their kids don’t love them so we should not pray for them. I’m guessing we should judge them without knowing them. Replying to someone’s prayer with anything other than support is a b/+€# move. Not saying you are one. I don’t know you. Just looking at actual actions. You can reply to this all you want. I won’t answer.
DeleteToo bad they don’t have an airbag to bring them bac up
ReplyDeleteThis is so exciting, everyone is talking about it.
ReplyDeleteUltra rich messing around with the forces of nature.
ReplyDeleteI'm more concerned about the homeless, people using foodbanks etc
This isn't about them being rich. This about making a series of very stupid decisions.
Deleteyou'd be very naive to not see or understand that there is a trend going on with the wealthy trying to outdo one another within high-risk tourism. First it was space explorations, now this. Yes, they are making stupid decisions but you obviously don't understand that it's a current trend among the wealthy. Who can do "the most"!!! I tend to agree with Helen.
DeleteYes it is. Prove me wrong...
ReplyDeleteThey went woke with crucial staff. Now stuck. Preferred woke over experience.
ReplyDeleteI thought woke was more government regulation and conservative was more about more business freedom to innovate. I was thinking this incident might be a bad look for conservative views on business.
Deletestupidest answer
Deleteyou employ people in critical areas because of a woke agenda and not experience. Then you get mistakes. This is a risky business sending submarines to 2 miles. It is not about flag waving non white, non male, Ukraine, lbgt, vaccinated people.You employ people who can do the job, have experience and have problem.solving skills.The business man made his choices and now has no plan b. God rest his soul.
Deletedefine 'woke', bet you use the term 'liberal' alot without knowing what it means too.. 🤡
Deletewhat the fk r u even talking about 🤣
DeleteI define it as a collection of culturally and ideologically brainwashed people who identify as left wing but really have Marxist/mao ideas. We have gone through this in history. Tell me your idea of woke? I can show you in history when people like you are the first to be shot.people like you are normally the first to be exterminated when your usefulness has gone. Useful idiots in regime changes.nature serves a purpose and you were probably first in line for the vaccine and your Ukraine and virtue signalling flag.they know they can rely on you to be stupid.
DeleteAyeee just a billionaire gone missing!! Classic example of getting rid of your opponent
ReplyDeleteHow come the sub wasn’t tied to something at the surface?
ReplyDeleteI thought the same thing! They literally paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to go deep in an ocean in a death trap that wasn't connected to anything to pull them up in an emergency🤦♀️
Deletelike? A 2 mile long metal cable? Do u know how much that would weigh and how stressed it would be
DeleteI paid 250k should be fair
DeleteYOU KNOW AND I KNOW THEY ARE GOING TO BLAME SOMEONE ELSE THEY KNOW IT SHOULD NOT OF GONE DOWN AT THAT TIME BUT THEY DID IT ANYWAY $$$$$$$$
ReplyDeleteIt was an “accident”
ReplyDeleteWhy didn’t they go up once they lost communication
ReplyDeleteif anyone thinks you can get internet under a couple of miles of water, you have another think coming...
ReplyDeletethink?
DeleteI wish the news media would let this story go these people are gone due to their own behavior and dismissive behavior and just because you get away with something several times doesn't mean that it's not going to bite you like thinking a wild animal will never hurt you because my brother had one as a pet that sort of nonsense have a nice day
ReplyDeleteDid they know they were paying for the full Titanic experience?!
ReplyDeleteThe ship sank over 100 years ago and still claiming lives
DeleteMore money than sense, 250K to put your life to that much risk, after all it's just a grave site...
DeleteFunny, not funny.
Deleteyes I agree, it's not really funny... But they did sign a waiver on each page of the eight page document... The only open from the outside craft used a game console to operate 🎮 it & no communication to the surface, let alone a marker float 🛟 on the surface pinpointing their approximate position, for the cost of 250K you would hope to expect some realistic safety features... So just like the Titanic, no double skin, not enough lifeboats & not really fit for purpose...
DeleteNo, the emperor is not responsible for the shrinking royal clothing market.
ReplyDeleteThey have popped over for a cup of coffee
ReplyDeletePrayers sent for ALL involved, and families.
ReplyDeleteNot sure why they don't have a Hipap system installed. Will be discovered in hours. A minimum of 3 Cnod should be installed, the new Cnod from Kongsberg can be detected from 100 to 7000 meters deep
ReplyDeleteThe guy who built this toy, went to Trump University.
ReplyDeleteno they are woke. Woke people don't study there. This is what happens when you replace experience with a woke agenda. No one has any idea what to to do.
Deletelay off the crack little boy
Deletetypical response from someone so ideologically messed up, mixed up and brainwashed. Keep up the good work bro. The future of mankind relies on your fascism and censorship.
Deleterun along cupcake. We are busy getting Trumps cell ready. We already got Tate.
DeleteAnd is about aware of his surroundings as Joe Biden
Deletelol. Poor Incel.
DeleteBidem knows Trumps surroundings...the federal pen. Hahahah
DeleteTrump lives in yer brain,lol
Deleteunlike YOU, I HAVE a brain. Sit down little boy. Before i send a drag queen to come read to you...
DeleteSo sad.
ReplyDeleteWhat if a whale ate it
ReplyDeleteChalk up another point for mouse and keyboard
ReplyDeleteThen.... why do you mention it?.
ReplyDeleteProbably poor quality equipment installed at the request of the CEO.
ReplyDeleteRich people problems.
ReplyDeleteA hammer shark is now misleading the rescue workers I learned in the pub.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65969476
ReplyDeleteWho's ready to inhabit Mars?
ReplyDeleteThe guy who went missing on the Submarine was a member of WEF
ReplyDeletehttps://www.weforum.org/people/shahzada-dawood
They gone...
ReplyDeleteCheap billionaire
ReplyDelete