Proceedings of the Ninth (1999) International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference
Brest, France, May 30-June 4, 1999
Copyright © 1999 by The International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers
ISBN 1-880653-39-7 (Set); ISBN 1-880653-41-9 (Vol. II); ISSN 1098-6189 (Set)
10,000-Meter Class Deep Sea ROV "KAIKO" and Underwater Operations
Toshinobu Mikagawa, Tsutomu Fukui and "KAIKO" Operation Team
Japan Marine Science and Technology Center
Yokosuka, Japan
ABSTRACT
10,000m
class
Remotely
"KAIKO" was developed
research
Center.
years
by
Japan
Science
"KAIKO" was constructed
in
pre-practical
In 1997,
"KAIREI"
and
observation.
it's system
operation.
and
challenge
to
100
deep area
and spent
for
deep
And
now
make clear
"KAIKO"
system.
This
the unknown
sea
ship
deep
sea
"KAIKO" proved
and got a lot of knowledge
stable
2
mother
scientific
dives,
(ROV)
Technology
in 1995
training
their
over
abilities
powerful
use
and
"KAIKO" obtained
started
With
Vehicle
to aim at scientific
Marine
operation.
the
Operated
about
became
a
system
world
very
keep
in
deep
Fig. 1 : R O V " K A I K O "
frontier.
KEY WORDS : "KAIKO", "KAIREI", launcher, vehicle, ROV, cable,
SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
operation
INTRODUCTION
The "KAIKO" system consists of, a launcher, avehicle, cables,
cable handling systems and apositioning system(lwai et al, 1992).
A Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV)"KAIKO" (Figure 1) was
developed by Japan
Marine
Science and Technology
"KAIKO" is a dual ROV system, with a launcher serving as a wide
Center
area survey vehicle linked to the vehicle that functions as a
(JAMSTEC) is the only ROV which has a ability to approach a depth
precision multi-sensory imaging and sampling platform. "KAIKO"
of l l,000m. Development of "KAIKO" started in 1991, and the
hangs down from ship by using a 12,000m long primary cable
construction was completed in 1995. At that time, "KAIKO" was
which is managed by the primary cable handling system installed on
placed in R/V "YOKOSUKA" which is the support vessel for the
"KAIREI". The vehicle is connected from the launcher by 250m of
manned submersible "SHINKAI6500". In 1997, "KAIKO" obtained
secondary cable which controlled by the secondary cable handling
its own mother ship "KAIREI" and started practical surveys starting
system in the launcher. High accurate vehicle position control in
in 1998. The ability of vehicles to dive to 11,000m depth area was
research area is necessary for "KAIKO" operation. Location of
proven several times at Mariana Trench(Tkakagawa et al,1997). This
"KAIKO" is measured by an acoustic
paper describes the "KAIKO" system and the results of it's under
"KAIREI". Figure 2 shows a image of under water operation.
water operations.
388
positioning
system
on