The launch of a longitudinal survey of the world’s most famous shipwreck.

During the summer of 2021, an expeditionary team conducted the first phase of a mulit-year series of crewed submersible dives to explore and document the condition of RMS Titanic and portions of the nearly unexplored debris field. On each of the dives a scientist or content expert was onboard the submersible to gather archaeological and biological data. The goals during this phase of the expedition were to:

• • better understand behavior and rarity of inhabitants at this extreme depth
  • help predict the rate of decay of deeply submerged vessels

Our sponsored science team joined OceanGate Expedition’s 2021 Titanic Expedition on each mission and utilized advanced and time-tested techniques to gather data for future analysis. An array of 4K cameras, 2D sonar scanners, direct observation and grid mapping are just some of the techniques and equipment that the team utilized during each of the dives that lasted up to 10 hours.

The data and images from the expedition will be freely shared with the other researchers to help expand our understanding of the ocean.

Following the tragic sinking in 1912, the wreck and artifacts have been subject to a harsh environment of corrosive saltwater, extreme pressure and biological attacks. These factors are combining to disintegrate the wreck at some unknown rate. The science team will compare the current condition to images and data from previous expeditions to better predict the rate of decay.

All OceanGate Foundation underwater exploration is conducted in accordance with the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage.