Deep freeze
Technical support team works around the clock to make sure Chinese submersible can make it home
The Jiaolong's pressure sphere accommodates three adults, along with more than 10 screens and several onboard computers. A single dive can last 12 hours.
"When crawling out, the whole body aches from being cramped in a narrow seat for hours on end," Tang said.
Seafloor sampling demands extreme physical precision. To collect hydrothermal vent samples, pilots sometimes have to operate the submersible's twin manipulators while half-crouched, positioning a 1-centimeter sampling tube over a 2-cm vent 2 meters away and holding it perfectly still for 10 minutes.
Through relentless training, Tang honed his hand-eye coordination to the point that his movements became instinctive and precise.
Starting in 2009, Tang devoted himself to the forefront of deep-sea exploration. Over the next few years, he participated in sea trials at depths of 3,000 meters, 5,000 meters and 7,000 meters.
