Home > About JAMSTEC > Research Vessels, Facilities and Equipment > Research Vessels and Vehicles > KAIKO 7000II
7,000 m Class Remotely Operated Vehicle
KAIKO 7000
KAIKO 7000II remotely operated vehicle is a type of launcher/vehicle capable of diving to a maximum depth of 7,000m to perform research. KAIKO´s vehicle was accident that occurred off Shikoku in May 2003 in which the secondary cable was severed. To replace it, UROV7K, a 7,000m class optical fiber cable-type remotely operated vehicle, was modified and integrated with KAIKO´s launcher to create the new KAIKO 7000. The ability to dive to a depth of 7,000m makes this vehicle one of the deepest diving device in the world.
Mission
- To survey deep ocean areas that are impossible to survey with manned submersibles
- To survey deep ocean areas that are dangerous due to complicated topography
Systems
Activity records
| Mar 1995 | Succeeded in 10,911.4 meter diving at Mariana Trench during sea trial. Shot various marine life like sandworms, shrimps, etc. which inhabit on deep sea floor. |
| Feb 1996 | Succeeded in collecting sediment together with microorganisms from deep sea floors of more than 10,000 meters at Challenger Deep (10,898m) of Mariana Trench for the first time in the world. |
| Dec 1997 | Confirmed the school pupil evacuation ship "TSUSHIMA MARU" which was sunken during the World War II on the sea floor off Okinawa in cooperation with JAMSTEC's deep sea research vessel "KAIREI"and ROV "DOLPHIN-3K". |
| May 1998 | Collected benthic macro organisms, Hirondelleagigas (body length : about 4.5 cm), at Challenger Deep of Mariana Trench for the first time in the world. |
| Oct 1999 | Succeeded in connecting operation of measuring equipment with underwater cables on sea floor of 2,150 m at Ryukyu Trench area. |
| Nov 1999 | Discovered parts of Japanese rocket, H-2 No.8, which was sunken on the sea floor of 2,900 meters off Ogasawara Islands due to its launching failure during the participation of search operation. |
| Aug 2000 | Discovered hydrothermal activities and ecosystems there at the depth of 2.450 m in Indian Central Ridge. |
| May 2003 | Lost the vehicle due to accidental breaking of the secondary cable during the research off Shikoku Island. |
| May 2004 | Re-started the research operation as "KAIKO 7000", using a converted ROV "UROV 7K" as its vehicle. |
Principal specifications
| Launcher | Vehicle | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 5.2 m | 3.0 m |
| Breadth | 2.6 m | 2.0 m |
| Height | 3.2 m | 2.1 m |
| Weight in the air | 5.8 t | 3.9 t |
| Maximum diving depth | 11,000 m | 7,000 m |
| Payload weight | - | 100kg(in air), 50kg(in water) |
| Tow speed | Under 1.5 knot | |
| Research and observational equipment | CTD (conductivity, temperature and depth) Side scan sonar Sub-bottom profiler Monochrome TV camera for monitoring coupling operations Secondary cable for monitoring Monochrome TV camera |
CTD (conductivity, temperature and depth) 2 TV cameras 2 HDTV camera Digital still camera (5 megapixels) Light |
| Navigational equipment | Obstacle detecting sonar Altimeter, Depth meter, Compass |
Monochrome TV camera Altimeter, Depth meter, Compass Flasher Obstacle detecting sonar GPS/ARGOS |
| Operational equipment | - | Manipulators (one 6 pivoted, one 7 pivoted) |
| Cables | Optical/power composite cable Primary cable: φ45mm × 12,000m Secondary cable: φ29.5mm × 250m |
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