HEMPHILL, Texas (11 Feb 2003) -- VideoRay has delivered a miniature ROV (remotely operated vehicle) to Lockheed Martin Corporation's Information Technology division to assist in the recover of Columbia shuttle debris. NASA is using VideoRay's Pro II ROV to search the Toledo Bend Reservoir on the Texas-Louisiana border where local fishermen reported seeing large pieces of flaming wreckage plunge into the 120-km long body of water. Earlier in the week, divers recovered a 2 foot by 2 foot metal disc from the reservoir, which is believed to be part of the shuttle. VideoRay Executive Vice-President Bob Christ said the ultra-small Pro II should expedite the search in the cold murky water of the reservoir where silt, tree stumps and extremely low visibility have combined to slow search and recovery dive teams. "The conditions at the bottom of Toledo Bend Reservoir consist of a large forest of trees that were left in place when the reservoir was flooded," said Christ. "Larger ROV systems cannot get into these trees with their small openings and crevasses to get the footage and final identification necessary for the sonar targets." | | "The visibility at the bottom of the reservoir is essentially zero," Christ added. "Doing bounce dives with a VideoRay is much safer than bounce-diving human divers." Pressure-rated to a depth of 152-meters (500-feet) and weighing only about 4 kilograms, the $47,000 Pro II utilizes three electric thrusters, which generate a maximum speed of 2.5 knots. The unit is equipped with a pair of small cameras and spot lights, and optional equipment includes a mechanical claw and a sonar transponder, which is controlled via a cable that runs to a small control unit that can be set up on a small boat. Less expensive ROVs - priced at about $11,000 - are beginning to be used in the recreational dive industry for such tasks as pre-dive evaluation of dive sites and supervision of divers. |
