It is clear that many people like to travel. The more countries the better. Walking in space is something few can do. But what if a person visits the ocean floor after a walk in space? We are talking about Kathy Sullivan. This oceanographer and astronaut was the first American to take a spacewalk in 1984. Now, 36 years later, Sullivan was the first woman to reach the Challenger Deep. It is the deepest known point in the ocean. Yes, he traveled from space to the ocean floor.
Nobody has done it before
He is the first person to achieve this. The feat was accomplished on June 7th. The announcement was made by Victor Vescovo, an entrepreneur and adventurer who traveled with Sullivan. He holds the record of being the first person to have reached the 5 deepest points in the ocean.
“It was an extraordinary day, a unique day in life,” said Sullivan. EYOS Expeditions was responsible for the underwater mission.
Sullivan and Vescovo dipped into the Limiting Factor (LF). It is a vehicle designed for great depths. The expeditionaries plunged to a depth of almost 11 kilometers. After 4 hours of ascent, the LF returned to the surface. There, a call was coordinated with the International Space Station, which was at an altitude of 408 km at that time. “Two groups of people use the latest technology to explore the ends of our world,” said Rob McCallum. He is one of the leaders of the EYOS expedition.
The LF withstands pressures of 2,200 tons. It is the first vehicle that has repeatedly driven to the lowest point in the ocean.
In the deep
The Challenger Deep Point is located in the Mariana Trench in the South Pacific, about 300 km from Guam. His name comes from HMS Challenger. It was the boat that first examined the depth of the area in 1875.
The ocean trenches are one of the planet’s last frontiers. They used to be considered barren areas. But in reality the deep sea is full of life. New species of amphipod crustaceans were found there, which are very similar to shrimps.
There is also growing evidence that these are carbon sinks that play a role in regulating the chemistry and climate of the earth.
In 2019, however, Vescovo not only observed the marine wealth on a mission in the Mariana Trench. He also saw a plastic bag and candy wrapper. A fact that was seen as confirmation of the man-made effects. Even in the most remote places in the world.
However, none of this will change the fact that Kathy Sullivan is the first person to travel from space to the ocean floor. What will be your next trip?
