FNRS-2

FNRS -2 ( also FNRS FNRS 2 or II) was the name of the first ever built Bathyscaphen the world. It was designed by the Swiss Auguste Piccard, built and tested was FNRS - 2 from 1948. FNRS The name stands for the Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique, one by the Belgian King Albert I Foundation was founded in 1928 to finance scientific projects.

Piccard had previously built a manned research balloon named FNRS -1, in 1931 a world altitude record of 15,785 m reached and was also funded by the FNRS. The basis for this successful design a balloon gondola, which was a spherical pressure hull. This remained stable despite the altitude increases low expectant external pressure, and allowed a protected against cold, wind and lack of oxygen ascent.

As early as 1930 William Beebe was bathed with his bathysphere at a depth of about 900 m. Beebe's construction consisted in principle of a spherical pressure hull also, but this proposal was left on a steel cable into the water. Piccard extended this principle to a lifting body at which the pressure hull was fixed and ballast ( lead shot ) contained. Thus said Piccard bathyscaphe vehicle could dive independently of carrying ropes and rise again.

The first plans for the construction of such a vehicle were made in 1937, but could not be implemented until after the Second World War. 1948 was finally built with FNRS -2 in Antwerp such a vehicle. The pressure body consisted of up to 15 cm thick steel, was 11 tons in weight and had the inside diameter of 2.10 m. You should a pressure of up to 4,000 m water depth to withstand the portholes were made ​​of polymethyl methacrylate. The lifting body consisted of 1 mm thick iron plate and took 30 cubic gasoline, which gave the boat lift. In contrast to later Bathyscaphen decreed FNRS -2 does not yet have a set by the pressure hull manhole, which the crew had to enter before the launching of the boat. It was only in the water then the bathyscaphe could be filled with gasoline, what the available dive time very restricted.

For testing purposes, the vehicle was brought on board the Belgian cargo ship Scaldis first to Dakar and then in collaboration with three ships of the French Navy to the Cape Verde Islands. There, the immersion testing took place. Even Jacques -Yves Cousteau was involved in this expedition; but at that time. still as a naval officer aboard the French ocean-going tug Elie Monnier A first immersion experiment with Théodore Monod Piccard and took a quarter of an hour and resulted in 25 m depth. In spite of this, Monod and Piccard were close to twelve hours on board. Two days later led an unmanned submersible attempt 1380m deep. Following this test, the FNRS - 2 could not be lifted on board due to unfavorable sea conditions and had to be towed; while the float was damaged. Further experiments were carried out.

All in all, presented the FNRS -2 represents a pioneering effort and was not technically mature, and only very limited use. But these errors in the concept led to important insights that went into the construction of later Bathyscaphen.

At the follow-up model FNRS -3 Piccard was involved only in an advisory position. In this boat, the pressure body FNRS -2 was used.