On December 26, the "Explorer 3," a versatile scientific research and cultural heritage archaeology vessel, was officially commissioned in Nansha, Guangzhou. Fully designed with independent intellectual property rights, it is China's first all-encompassing scientific research vessel equipped for global deep-sea exploration, including polar regions, and manned support for deep-sea diving in icy environments.
Measuring approximately 104 meters in length and displacing about 10,000 tons, the "Explorer 3" is capable of breaking ice at both the bow and stern. It has a range of 15,000 nautical miles and accommodates up to 80 crew members. In addition to conducting deep-sea scientific research and cultural heritage archaeology, the vessel is also equipped to carry out scientific operations in polar waters during the summer. This broadens China's manned deep-sea diving capabilities, extending its reach across all ocean depths and seas, and significantly strengthens the country's deep-sea archaeological operations.
The "Explorer 3" was independently designed and built by Guangzhou Shipyard International, a subsidiary of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation. More than 100 research institutions, companies, and universities contributed to its design and construction, with nearly 10 key equipment research and integration teams involved. During the process, these groups collaboratively addressed essential core technologies, overcoming barriers in several critical areas, such as vessel design for icy environments, high-precision dynamic positioning control under ice loads, intelligent vessel control systems, and underwater acoustic positioning technology. Notably, it incorporates an underwater acoustic positioning system developed by HEU and other domestic technological systems, marking the first deployment of several indigenous supporting technologies.
The underwater acoustic positioning system, developed by the Deep Sea Underwater Information Technology Research Institute at the College of Underwater Acoustic Engineering of HEU, is a standardized tool for the "Explorer 3" mission. It provides high-precision positioning for scientific research, resource exploration, deep-sea archaeology, and other underwater tasks, ensuring both the safety and efficiency of these operations.
The Deep Sea Underwater Information Technology Research Institute is focused on advancing technologies related to the transmission, acquisition, estimation, and perception of deep-sea underwater information. Its innovations have been widely applied in manned deep-sea diving, scientific exploration, resource development, and other fields. The institute’s underwater acoustic positioning system is deployed on several research vessels in China, providing high-precision positioning support for deep-sea submersibles, including the Jiaolong, Deep Sea Warrior, and Striver.
