At the end of 2020, Chinese explorers made history by conducting the world’s first high-definition live broadcast from the deepest point in the world’s oceans, the Mariana Trench. The breathtaking scenes from the “Earth’s Fourth Pole” were beamed live to a studio in Beijing, marking a groundbreaking moment in human exploration at a depth of 10,909 meters below the sea. This remarkable feat was achieved by China’s inaugural manned submersible, the Striver.

The Mariana Trench is known for having one of the harshest environments on Earth, characterized by high pressure, complete darkness, extremely low temperatures, and low oxygen levels. Broadcasting from this location poses significant challenges, particularly in terms of pressure resistance and communication. The ability to withstand the immense pressure at these depths is comparable to having 2000 African elephants standing on your back, requiring extraordinary engineering solutions. The scientific team overcame this challenge through the innovative use of a new titanium alloy material.

As is well known, the communication range of electromagnetic waves underwater is limited to less than a kilometer. Therefore, to achieve the globally acclaimed underwater live broadcast, the key lies in the acoustic communication capability of the Striver submersible. In the noisy underwater environment, landing instruments are strategically placed in advance. Once the Striver descends to the designated area, these instruments can capture real-time footage and establish data connections. Through delicate fiber-optic cables, massive amounts of data are then transmitted from the depths of the ocean floor, reaching land thousands of kilometers away. Witnessing the graceful maneuvers of the Striver at a depth of ten thousand meters on television highlights the extraordinary complexity of this feat.

The diligent Striver has since successfully participated in various routine marine exploration missions, aiming for a career span of 30 years. In March 2023, it accomplished humanity’s first transoceanic manned deep-sea scientific expedition around Oceania. Throughout the extensive 157-day mission, the Striver completed 63 effective dives, with four dives surpassing 10,000 meters, demonstrating remarkable stability. In the abyss, illuminated for the first time in millions of years, more mysteries are about to be unraveled.

Looking forward, the passengers aboard the deep-sea Striver may not only be scientists; the manned submersible is expected to play a significant role in various deep-sea development endeavors, inching closer to the dream of a deep-sea space station. If there are oceans on distant planets, the imaginative idea of extending live broadcasts to the extraterrestrial deep-sea might not be too far-fetched!