Aluminaut facts for kids
class="infobox " style="float: right; clear: right; width: 315px; border-spacing: 2px; text-align: left; font-size: 90%;"
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: 90%; line-height: 1.5em;" | 
|}
The Aluminaut was an amazing experimental submersible built in 1964. It was the world's first submarine made from aluminium. This special deep-ocean research vessel weighed 80 tons. It was built by the Reynolds Metals Company. They wanted to show how useful aluminium could be for building strong things.
The Aluminaut was based in Miami, Florida. It worked from 1964 to 1970. It did special jobs for the U.S. Navy and other groups. Famous marine biologist Jacques Cousteau even used it.
The Aluminaut is most famous for two big missions. In 1966, it helped find a lost thermonuclear bomb underwater. Then, in 1969, it helped rescue another smaller deep-sea submarine called DSV Alvin. After its working life, the Aluminaut was given to the Science Museum of Virginia. You can see it there today.
Contents
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States |
|
| Name | Aluminaut |
| Owner | Reynolds Metals Company |
| Operator | Reynolds Marine Services |
| Builder | General Dynamics Electric Boat, Groton, Connecticut, USA |
| In service | 1964 |
| Out of service | 1970 |
| Homeport | Miami, Florida, USA |
| Status | Preserved as museum ship; Science Museum of Virginia; Richmond, VA, USA |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Deep-submergence vehicle (DSV) |
| Tonnage | 80 short tons (73 t) |
| Displacement | 80 short tons (73 t) |
| Length | 51 ft (16 m) |
| Beam | 8 ft 1 in (2.46 m) |
| Speed | 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph) |
| Endurance | 32 hours |
| Test depth | 15,000 feet (4,600 m) |
| Capacity | 6,000 lb (2,700 kg) payload |
| Crew | 6-7 (3 crew, 3-4 scientists) |
- 1966: Finding a Lost Bomb
- 1969: Rescuing a Fellow Submarine
- Other Important Missions
- Retirement
- See Also
- Images for kids
Aluminaut: The First Aluminum Submarine
The Aluminaut was a groundbreaking project. The idea for an aluminum submarine started way back in 1942. This was during World War II. Julian "Louis" Reynolds, from Reynolds Metals, thought of it. He wanted to show how strong and useful aluminum could be.
It took 20 years for the idea to become real. In 1964, the Electric Boat Division built the Aluminaut. This company is in Groton, Connecticut. The submarine was operated by Reynolds Submarine Services Corporation.
How Aluminaut Was Designed
The Aluminaut was quite large for a deep-sea vessel. It weighed 80 tons. It could carry a crew of three and up to four scientists. It had four special windows to look out. It also had sonar to find things underwater. Robotic arms called manipulators helped it pick things up. It could carry up to 6,000 pounds of equipment.
The submarine was designed to be very flexible. It could do many types of ocean research and salvage missions. Its hull was made of 11 strong aluminum cylinders. Aluminum is lighter and stronger than steel for its weight. This meant the Aluminaut's thick shell could handle huge pressures. It could dive to an amazing depth of 17,000 feet (5,180 meters).
The design process had some challenges. Early tests showed problems with stability. At one point, it even flooded and sank during a test. But engineers kept working on it. They added a special entry tower. They also built a small model to test the design. This helped them fix the issues.
1966: Finding a Lost Bomb
The Aluminaut quickly proved its worth. On January 17, 1966, an important event happened. A thermonuclear bomb was lost in the Mediterranean Sea. This happened after a United States Air Force plane crash over Palomares, Spain.
Seven crew members died in the crash. Three bombs fell on land and were found quickly. But one bomb fell into the ocean. It was very hard to find. The U.S. Navy sent a large team to search. The Aluminaut and another submersible, the Alvin, joined the search. They were crucial for looking deep underwater.
The search lasted for eighty days. Finally, the Alvin found the bomb. It was resting about 910 meters (3,000 feet) below the surface. On April 7, 1966, the bomb was brought up safely. It was photographed on the deck of the USS Petrel. This was the first time the public saw such a bomb.
1969: Rescuing a Fellow Submarine
The Alvin was put into service the same year as Aluminaut. The Alvin is still working today! But in 1969, the Aluminaut had to rescue its fellow sub.
In October 1968, the Alvin was being moved. It was on a support ship called Lulu. While Alvin was being lowered, two steel cables broke. Three crew members were inside, and the hatch was open. The Alvin fell into the water and sank fast. The crew escaped safely. But the Alvin sank to a depth of 1,500 meters (5,000 feet).
In September 1969, the Aluminaut came to the rescue. It was used to attach lines and a net to the sunken Alvin. The Alvin was found intact, almost a mile deep. Then, the USS Mizar pulled it to the surface.
When Alvin was opened, something surprising was found. Lunches left inside were soggy but still edible! This showed how the cold, deep water helped preserve things. This event taught scientists a lot about preservation in the deep sea. The Alvin needed a big repair after its adventure.
Other Important Missions
The Aluminaut did other important jobs for the U.S. Navy. It helped recover a 2,100-pound torpedo. This was at a testing facility in the Bahamas.
It also helped make films. It worked with famous filmmakers like Jacques Cousteau and Ivan Tors Studios. The Aluminaut explored depths up to 6,000 feet (1,800 meters). It surveyed the ocean floor for the U.S. Naval Oceanographic Office.
Retirement
The Aluminaut was retired from active service in 1970. The Reynolds Metals Company donated it to the Science Museum of Virginia. It is now on display in Richmond, Virginia. Even though it's a museum exhibit, the Aluminaut is still maintained. This is in case it ever needs to be used again for a special mission.
See Also
- DSV Alvin
Images for kids
-
The recovered thermonuclear bomb was displayed by U.S. Navy officials on the fantail of the submarine rescue ship U.S.S. Petrel after it was located in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Spain at a depth of 762 meters and recovered in April 1966
