This Special Vessel Is Able To Stand Vertically And “Dive” Into The Ocean For Research.
Anyone seeing a ship positioned diagonally or vertically over the water would instantly worry and think the worst. These positions immediately refer to a possible problem, with a very good probability of sinking.
Yet not all diving ships sink. At least not the one we are going to tell you about, a very special boat which “plunges” into the depths of the sea and which is also able to reappear as if nothing had happened. If you think that’s not possible, you haven’t seen the RP Flip in action yet!
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image credit: infoteccenter/Youtube
A little over 20 minutes: that’s the time it takes for the RP Flip, a 108-meter-long ship designed by the US Navy, to go from a horizontal position, at sea level, to a position completely vertical, with a rotation of 90 degrees which makes it almost completely disappear in depth. Its name is an acronym for the Floating Instrument Platform, and in fact, this incredible vessel is a veritable floating research tool.
Behind its creation is the Scripps Institute of Oceanography and the ship, thanks to its peculiarity of being able to sink in a vertical position, is a perfect way to study wave heights, collect meteorological data and measure various parameters of marine and ocean waters.
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image credit: Office of Naval Research – Business Insider Italia/Youtube
RP Flip does not have motors , in order to be able to better capture any signal coming from the aquatic depths in which it is located. For this reason, it must necessarily be towed from one point to another. When you step inside, you realize even more that it is a unique boat, because everything is designed and built to be both vertical and horizontal. All rooms, for example, have two doors , one for when sailing and one for when the RP Flip is in the search position.
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image credit: Office of Naval Research – Business Insider Italia/Youtube
The videos that show him in action are simply fascinating, and testify – if need be – that human ingenuity and technological development can sometimes reach unique and original levels. Have you ever seen a ship like this? Would you be curious to get on board?
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image credit: Office of Naval Research – Business Insider Italia/Youtube
Video:
source used : UC San Diego – Scripps Institution of Oceanography