On the evening of May 3, 1937, at approximately 8 PM, a majestic Hindenburg airship took off from Frankfurt, Germany, embarking on a journey across the Atlantic Ocean, destined for New Jersey, America. This grand airship accommodated around 97 passengers, comprising 36 passengers and 61 crew members. It’s important to note that when I mention “aircraft” in this context, I am not referring to an airplane; rather, I’m referring to an airship. Hindenburg was indeed an airship, and not just any airship, but the world’s largest one, measuring a staggering 245 meters in length. To grasp its enormity, one can compare it to a modern Boeing 747 aircraft, highlighting the remarkable scale of Hindenburg. Interestingly, it was only 24 meters shorter than the legendary Titanic, which was once the world’s largest ship. This colossal airship earned the prestigious title of “Queen of the Skies” and was a source of immense pride for Nazi Germany.
The interior of the Hindenburg airship offered a luxurious experience to its passengers, characterized by opulence that is somewhat lost in today’s air travel. Individuals enjoyed private sleeping quarters, a dedicated dining room where all could dine together, a splendid lounge featuring a grand piano, a space for reading and writing, and more. The ticket price for this extravagant journey was $700 at that time, equivalent to over $7,000 in today’s currency. Consequently, only the wealthy elite could afford to travel in such lavish comfort.
After a three-day journey, on May 6, 1937, the Hindenburg reached its destination in America, thousands of miles from its departure point. It was scheduled to land at Lakehurst Naval Air Station in New Jersey, and the descent began around 7 PM. The landing procedure was unique, involving ground personnel who held onto the airship’s ropes. Crowds had gathered to witness this historic moment, as the landing was being filmed that day. Unfortunately, the weather conditions were less than favorable, with overcast skies, clouds, and strong winds. In an effort to align the airship with the wind direction, the captain executed a sharp turn, while the ground crew hastened to secure the ropes. Tragically, at that critical moment, a deafening explosion resonated through the air, and in the blink of an eye, the Hindenburg airship was engulfed in flames. Within a mere 34 seconds, the once-mighty airship was reduced to smoldering wreckage.
“The actual crash of the Hindenburg, an airship destroyed in less than half a minute, seared in the skeleton of what was once a mighty airship.”
The Hindenburg disaster sent shockwaves around the world, prompting intense scrutiny to ascertain the cause of this catastrophe. Experts and investigators explored three primary theories. The first theory posited that the airship was deliberately sabotaged, part of a sinister plot to destroy the pride of Nazi Germany. This perspective suggested that either anti-Nazi activists or a foreign nation had concealed a bomb within the Hindenburg, leading to the sudden explosion. Some even speculated that Adolf Hitler himself had orchestrated the explosion, with a bomb planted on the airship to undermine its legacy. This theory was rooted in the complex relationship between Hugo Eckener, the owner of the airship company, and Hitler’s regime. Eckener was one of the few who openly opposed Hitler and the Nazis during their reign, a perilous stance during that time. In 1933, when the Nazi party ascended to power, Hitler attempted to arrest Hugo Eckener, but this arrest was thwarted by then-German President Paul von Hindenburg. Incidentally, the airship was christened with the name “Hindenburg” in honor of the president. Three years later, in 1936, when the world’s largest airship was ready for service, Hitler’s propaganda minister, Joseph Goebbels, urged Eckener to name it after Hitler. Eckener, however, staunchly resisted, and instead, he named it Hindenburg. This choice was viewed by some as a deliberate affront to Hitler, and consequently, some believed that Hitler had resorted to bombing the airship to discredit Eckener and his legacy.
The second theory emphasized static electricity generated by the airship in the atmosphere. This theory proposed that a static charge accumulated on Hindenburg’s metal frame, and when it sparked, it ignited the hydrogen gas within the airship, resulting in the explosion. It was suggested that the sharp turn executed by the pilot may have contributed to the disaster.
The third theory centered on the possibility of a lightning strike. Given the unfavorable weather conditions, with stormy skies and clouds, some speculated that a lightning strike could have ignited the hydrogen gas, leading to the fiery disaster.
So, which theory holds the most credibility? To discern the answer, it’s vital to delve into the history of airships. Nowadays, flying is a routine part of life, thanks to airplanes. However, if we journey back 500 years, we find that people could only dream of flying. In the 1500s, individuals gazing upon soaring birds in the sky harbored a profound desire to take flight themselves. This ambition led to numerous attempts at human flight, often involving leaps from towers, high walls, and imaginative solutions such as attaching feathers, kites, or balloons to achieve liftoff. Over time, people came to realize that there were primarily two methods for achieving human flight. The first method involved becoming lighter than air.
Just like a hot air balloon. The second approach requires generating sufficient power to enable flight in the sky, and being lighter than air is not a prerequisite. This method is employed by all the airplanes and helicopters you observe soaring through the skies today. These aircraft generate the requisite power to navigate the air. However, the narrative of airships is rooted in the first method, which entails becoming lighter than air. In the 1770s, two innovative and intelligent brothers in France, Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier, stumbled upon the concept that ignited the era of air travel.
One day, Joseph was captivated by the sight of clothes being dried over an open flame. He observed how the heat from the fire caused the clothes to ascend into the air. This inspired him to ponder the possibilities on a grander scale. He began by constructing a small box crafted from thin wood and draped in a lightweight cloth. Inside this box, he placed a crumpled piece of paper, which he then set ablaze. To his amazement, the box ascended once the fire was ignited. Promptly, he embarked on the construction of a larger model of the box in collaboration with his brother. On December 14, 1782, the first full-scale model was subjected to a test flight. Wool and hay were set on fire to achieve lift, and the resulting lifting force was so powerful that they lost control of the box, which continued to soar for 2 kilometers. The following year, in 1783, a public demonstration was staged at the palace of King Louis in Versailles, France. During this spectacle, a duck and a hen were placed inside the box to illustrate the safety of flight for animals. The king was sufficiently impressed, leading to the granting of permission for human passengers. Thus, the hot air balloon was born, with Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier becoming the first human to take flight in such a craft.
Advancing the narrative to the 1850s, in a small German town, lived a young boy bearing the name Ferdinand Adolf Heinrich August Graf von Zeppelin, a name of considerable distinction. This boy ventured to America during the American Civil War, where he observed the use of balloons by the Union Army. This experience piqued his fascination with balloons, and he ascended through the ranks of the army, eventually penning the idea of an airship in his diary in 1874. By that time, balloons had seen considerable advancements, with the installation of engines enabling controlled navigation. Some balloons utilized steam engines, while others relied on electric-powered engines. In 1891, at the age of 52, Zeppelin resigned from the military and devoted himself entirely to the development of airships. His concept was to use multiple gas bags in a single airship to enhance rigidity and create a substantial and durable aircraft. Zeppelin collaborated with a team of engineers to refine this idea and constructed an aluminum framework.
In 1898, with some financial backing, he completed the first airship, known as LZ-1. To this day, airships are often referred to as “Zeppelins” in honor of the man who pioneered them, Ferdinand Adolf Heinrich August Graf von Zeppelin. Nevertheless, the path forward was fraught with numerous challenges. Zeppelins primarily utilized hydrogen gas for buoyancy, whereas in the United States, helium gas was employed. The distinction between these two gases is significant; hydrogen is highly flammable, whereas helium is inert and does not readily catch fire. In terms of function, both gases are lighter than air, enabling the airship to remain aloft. On July 2, 1900, LZ-1 completed its first successful flight, remaining airborne for 20 minutes despite sustaining damage upon landing.
Zeppelin initiated repairs, but due to a shortage of funds, he resorted to mortgaging his wife’s assets to secure additional capital. In 1905, LZ-2 was constructed; however, before it could take flight, a control component broke off, rendering it immobile. Restoration took another year. In 1906, Zeppelin subjected it to testing once more, revealing another significant flaw: the airship lost control due to strong winds. The salvageable components were used to build LZ-3, which aimed to demonstrate to the military that a successful aircraft could be constructed. The military, however, stipulated that the airship needed to endure flight for a minimum of 24 hours to pass a durability test. Regrettably, LZ-3 failed this test.
To meet the military’s requirements, Zeppelin developed LZ-4; however, during a storm, LZ-4 was utterly destroyed. In a high wind scenario, the Zeppelin broke free from its moorings and ultimately exploded. The story embodies the real-life adage: “Try, try until you succeed.” Perseverance is the key; those who persist in their efforts are never truly defeated. Simultaneously, in 1903, the Wright brothers achieved their first successful flight in an airplane, a story rich in historical significance.
Despite numerous setbacks, Zeppelin began to gain public attention, drawing recognition for his unwavering dedication to airship development. This led to increased investments, culminating in the establishment of his own company. Significant improvements were made to LZ-3, and in 1908, successful test flights were conducted despite adverse weather conditions. LZ-3 was officially embraced by the government, marking a momentous achievement for Zeppelin and earning him considerable acclaim. Over the following years, Zeppelin continued to refine his designs, but sadly, he passed away in 1917.
Following the conclusion of World War I in 1918 and the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany found itself prohibited from retaining military aircraft. Up until this point, airships had primarily been employed for military purposes. This is where Dr. Hugo Eckener steps into our narrative. After Ferdinand von Zeppelin’s passing, Eckener assumed control of the company. He was the first to recognize that Zeppelins could serve a dual purpose – not only for military applications but also for commercial flights.
In 1924, LZ-126 embarked on its maiden voyage, with none other than Hugo Eckener himself at the helm. It completed a journey spanning over 8000 kilometers in a mere 80 hours. Upon its arrival in America, it was warmly received, and people hailed it as an “Angel of Peace.” This was a significant transformation, where a machine once exclusively associated with warfare was now being utilized for civilian purposes.
Eckener went on to develop the next model, LZ-127, in 1928. Regrettably, the era of airships was not destined to endure for long. As I previously mentioned, the Nazi Party ascended to power in 1933, and Eckener was one of the few individuals who openly criticized Adolf Hitler’s regime.
Returning to the time after the Hindenburg disaster, an investigation spanning several decades determined that neither Hitler nor the Nazi Party were responsible for the catastrophe. The prevailing theory behind the accident points to hydrogen leakage and the resulting explosion due to static electricity. Sadly, this disaster severely tarnished the reputation of airships, highlighting the volatility of hydrogen. Traveling in airships was perceived as a hazardous undertaking, even though helium gas was also an option. The problem, however, was that helium gas was predominantly restricted to the United States, which had imposed an export ban on it.
By the 1940s, while the prestige of airships waned, with the public becoming increasingly wary of air travel in them, airplane technology was rapidly advancing. Passenger planes were demonstrating substantial improvements in terms of speed, reliability, and operating costs. Airplanes were flying at speeds between 700 and 1,000 kilometers per hour, far surpassing the approximately 100 kilometers per hour speed of airships. Obtaining helium gas remained a challenge, and airships were more vulnerable in adverse weather conditions.
Regrettably, individuals of our generation neither had the opportunity to travel in airships nor witness them firsthand. This is unfortunate, as the experience of airship travel was notably distinctive. Traveling at low altitudes with large windows must have provided a breathtaking view. Fortunately, there is the potential for an airship revival in the coming years.
In 2017, a UK-based company, Hybrid Air Vehicles, conducted a test flight for their colossal airship, the Airlander 10, which is recognized as the world’s largest aircraft. Today, acquiring helium gas is less problematic, rendering airship travel safer. Furthermore, due to growing concerns about carbon emissions linked to climate change, airships release only one-tenth of the carbon emissions compared to airplanes. They are also more fuel-efficient and fly almost silently, generating minimal noise pollution. As per the company, they anticipate launching commercial airship flights after 2030. How this resurgence unfolds remains to be seen.
19. Submersible Secrets: Unraveling the Titan Submarine
On the 18th of June in the year 2023, at precisely 9:30 in the morning, a group of five adventurous souls embarked on a unique and daring voyage in a submersible vessel known as Titan. Their mission: to delve deep into the ocean’s abyss and explore the wreckage of the fabled Titanic, a ship with an illustrious history that had met its watery demise approximately a century earlier.
This form of adventure tourism is not for the faint of heart and comes at a considerable cost. Each passenger aboard the Titan had invested over ₹20 million for the privilege of a few hours on this extraordinary journey. The steep price tag reflects the daunting task of reaching the Titanic’s resting place, which is concealed beneath the sea’s surface at a staggering depth of 3,810 meters, or roughly 12,500 feet.
The submarine initiated its descent, a journey that would span approximately two hours before reaching the depths of 3,810 meters. At 15-minute intervals, the submersible maintained its sole means of communication with the surface world by transmitting signals to its support vessel, the Polar Prince, stationed above. On that fateful day of the 18th of June, just 1 hour and 45 minutes into the submersible’s aquatic exploration, an unexpected and perplexing event occurred: it lost all contact with the Polar Prince.
By 4:30 in the afternoon, the scheduled time for the Titan’s return from its subaquatic odyssey had come and gone without a trace. As evening drew near, at precisely 7:10 PM, the crew aboard the Polar Prince made the crucial decision to alert the US Coast Guard. This marked the inception of a four-day-long, multinational search and rescue operation of unprecedented scale aimed at locating the lost submersible. The mission engaged a multitude of assets, including aircraft, maritime vessels, and robotic devices, all deployed in a relentless quest for answers. At the forefront of everyone’s thoughts loomed a single, burning question: What had transpired within the depths of the ocean, and what had become of the five intrepid passengers aboard the Titan?
As per reports from the US Coast Guard, the remnants of the Titan were eventually recovered from the ocean floor, attesting to a catastrophic loss of the pressure chamber. Amid the wreckage, the story of the Titan Submersible began to unravel.
The vanishing act unfolded in the expansive Atlantic Ocean, located in close proximity to Canada, approximately 600 kilometers from Newfoundland, a Canadian island. At this site, shrouded in the ocean’s depths, lies the fragmented remnants of the Titanic, with its bow and stern resting at a distance of about 800 meters apart from each other.
It is crucial to note a fundamental distinction between submarines and submersibles. Submarines possess their own propulsion systems, enabling them to autonomously traverse the ocean and resurface at will. In contrast, submersibles are reliant upon a surface support ship for their deployment and recovery. In the case of the Titan Submersible, this role was undertaken by the Polar Prince, situated on the ocean’s surface, orchestrating the entire mission.
The mastermind behind this ambitious venture was OceanGate, a company helmed by CEO Stockton Rush, a seasoned aerospace engineer by trade. In 2009, Rush established OceanGate, a private enterprise dedicated to offering affluent individuals the opportunity to partake in deep-sea expeditions for tourism purposes. OceanGate expanded its offerings in July 2021 to include Titanic tours, which were preceded by expeditions to various shipwrecks and maritime sites. At present, OceanGate maintains a standing as a pioneer in the field of underwater exploration.
Titan, the submersible of interest, was not the sole vessel in OceanGate’s fleet. The company also boasted two additional submersibles, Antipodes and Cyclops, each equipped with unique capabilities suited to different underwater depths. While Antipodes was engineered for submersion to depths of up to 304 meters, Cyclops was capable of venturing down to 500 meters. In contrast, Titan was the standout among them, designed to withstand the crushing depths of 4,000 meters, or 4 kilometers beneath the ocean’s surface. This exceptional depth-seeking capability made Titan the ideal choice for journeying to the Titanic wreck itself.
Visualizing the staggering depth of 3,800 meters, consider the following chart generated by The Washington Post, with measurements in feet. For perspective, an average adult male’s height is approximately 6 feet. The iceberg that infamously collided with the Titanic extended approximately 100 feet above the water’s surface, with a substantially greater underwater presence. Recreational scuba divers typically explore depths no greater than 130 feet. Beyond this point, a twilight zone begins where only a limited amount of light reaches. Notably, the deepest underwater rescue operation to date took place at a depth of 1,600 feet.
At the depth of 2,600 feet, the eerie habitat of giant squids begins, with these enigmatic creatures thriving in the depths of the ocean. The ambiance in this realm often evokes the sensation of an alien world. Progressing further to the abyssal depths, spanning 5,000 feet, 6,000 feet, 8,000 feet, 10,000 feet, and eventually culminating at 12,500 feet, one reaches the ocean floor, where the Titanic’s wreckage lies in perpetual rest. At this crushing depth, the water pressure exceeds surface levels by nearly 400 times, requiring meticulous design and engineering to ensure the safety of any submersible venturing to such depths.
Moreover, the Titan submersible featured an expansive viewport, which is the observation window that allows passengers to gaze upon the underwater world. It was lauded as the largest viewport ever installed on a private submersible. Despite its formidable capabilities, the Titan could accommodate only five occupants, with its hull constructed primarily from carbon fiber, a lightweight yet robust material.
Two titanium caps adorned its extremities, while its total length extended to approximately 6.7 meters, bearing a weight that exceeded a staggering 10,400 kilograms. The design of this remarkable contraption featured four electric thrusters on its exterior – two horizontal and two vertical – which facilitated its maneuverability in the depths of the ocean.
Notably, the Titan submersible was operated using a video game controller, an intriguing facet of its functioning. This might seem unusual, but even the US Navy employs Xbox controllers to manage their submarines and periscopes. In the case of the Titan, this controller was the primary interface for the pilot navigating the submersible beneath the waves.
Internally, the submersible lacked traditional seating arrangements but included a compact restroom situated adjacent to a viewport. A notable quirk was the absence of any partition around the restroom, necessitating that passengers turn away or engage with a television screen if the facilities were in use. Despite its utilitarian design, the Titan submersible provided an exclusive vantage point for its occupants to witness the subaquatic world.
Given their profound submersion into the ocean’s depths, traditional GPS technology was rendered ineffective. Communication with their surface support ship was reliant on a text messaging system, though details regarding the available internet connection remain unclear. A tweet from OceanGate alluded to the use of Starlink’s satellite internet service for communication.
Returning to the events of the 18th of June, the Titan submersible embarked on its journey with a total of five individuals on board. Among them, the first was 58-year-old British billionaire, Hamish Harding, celebrated for his adventurous spirit and status as a three-time Guinness World Record holder. His remarkable feats included a journey to the South Pole alongside astronaut Buzz Aldrin in 2016, a four-hour dive into the Mariana Trench’s deepest part, and participation in Blue Origin’s suborbital flight initiated by Jeff Bezos’ space exploration company.
The second passenger was Paul Henri Nargeolet, a 77-year-old retired commander from the French Navy. Notably, he had visited the Titanic wreck 37 times and held the position of Director of Underwater Research for the RMS Titanic project.
The third and fourth passengers were Shahzada Dawood, a British-Pakistani businessman, and his 19-year-old son, Suleman. Shahzada was the owner of one of Pakistan’s most prominent companies, and Suleman accompanied his father on the journey despite harboring apprehensions.
On the day of the expedition, the Titan submersible maintained a communication link with the support ship at 15-minute intervals. However, this connection was abruptly severed at 11:15 AM, and subsequent attempts to reestablish contact proved futile. Nevertheless, the expectation remained that the Titan would resurface at the scheduled time of 4:30 PM, as it was equipped with mechanisms allowing passengers to manipulate it from within by adjusting ballasts. These ballasts, weighty components within the submersible, are fundamental to maintaining stability and controlling buoyancy. Their removal permits a submersible to ascend in the water.
At 4:30 PM, when the Titan failed to emerge from the depths, the crew aboard the support ship initiated a period of waiting before ultimately notifying the US Coast Guard at 7:10 PM. A frenzied and time-sensitive search operation ensued, recognizing that the Titan’s life-support systems carried only four days’ worth of oxygen. This scant supply left a narrow window for any potential rescue operation. Unfortunately, no emergency locator beacon (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon, EPIRB) was installed on the submersible, complicating search and retrieval efforts.
Moreover, even if the Titan had surfaced, passengers would have been at risk due to a lack of external access, as the submersible’s hatch could only be sealed and unsealed from the outside. To compound matters, the search area spanned a vast 25,000 square kilometers, presenting a formidable challenge. The area was roughly seven times the size of India’s state of Goa, underscoring the difficulty of locating a van-sized submersible.
Efforts to rescue the passengers were further hindered by the fact that the deepest recorded underwater rescue, conducted in 1973, reached a depth of only 480 meters. Despite the overwhelming odds, multiple aircraft and ships, supported by remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), were mobilized in the search operation. ROVs are robotic vehicles operated from the water’s surface, capable of descending into the depths to locate and retrieve objects. In total, three ROVs were deployed in the quest to locate the Titan.
After three days of search efforts, an unexpected breakthrough occurred on the third day when a sonar on a Canadian aircraft detected peculiar sounds resembling knocking or banging at half-hour intervals. These sounds were subsequently verified by the US Coast Guard. On the 22nd of June, an ROV scouring the ocean floor stumbled upon fragments of the submersible, situated approximately 490 meters from the Titanic’s bow. These discoveries confirmed that the Titan had met a tragic fate, with no hope of rescuing its passengers, who had sadly perished within its confines.
On that very day, the US Coast Guard convened a press conference to clarify that the banging sounds they had previously detected had no bearing on the Titan submersible. Instead, the prevailing consensus pointed to a different and dire conclusion: the Titan had suffered implosion due to extreme pressure. It’s essential to recognize that implosion represents the contrary of an explosion; whereas an explosion entails an outward release of force, implosion involves a force that compresses inward. In the case of catastrophic implosion, the process transpires with such speed that the entire structure disintegrates virtually instantaneously, resulting in an almost imperceptible end for those within.
The primary inquiry centers on the underlying cause of this catastrophic implosion. The Titan’s central structure, as mentioned earlier, was constructed from carbon fiber, an experimental choice unlike the more conventional materials like steel, titanium, or aluminum typically used in the construction of submarines and submersibles. Evidently, the tragic fate of the Titan indicates that carbon fiber is ill-suited for such deep-sea endeavors. Renowned ocean explorer Robert Ballard, who discovered the Titanic wreck in 1985, commented that they had conducted thousands of dives utilizing various vehicles to reach the ocean’s depths, never once experiencing a vehicle loss until this catastrophic incident.
James Cameron, the celebrated director of iconic films like “Titanic” and “Avatar,” who had undertaken multiple deep-sea expeditions, echoed Ballard’s sentiments. Both experts conveyed that it is statistically safer to navigate a vessel like Alvin than drive along Interstate 95.
Remarkably, the titanium caps at either end of the submersible survived unscathed on the seabed, contrasting starkly with the disintegrated state of the main carbon fiber body. This led to substantial criticism of the Titan’s safety measures. Old interviews featuring the CEO of OceanGate, the company behind the Titan submersible, frequently echoed a sentiment that cast safety regulations as excessive.
In a 2019 interview, he expressed frustration with the US Passenger Vessel Safety Act of 1993, which he felt prioritized passenger safety at the expense of commercial innovation. He deemed it superfluous and advocated for a more relaxed approach to safety. In a separate interview the following year, he controversially opined, “At some point, safety just is pure waste. I mean, if you just want to be safe, don’t get out of bed, don’t get in your car, don’t do anything.”
In his own words, “I’ve broken some rules to make Titan. I think I’ve broken them with logic and good engineering behind me,” referring to his intentional disregard of the rule prohibiting the use of carbon fiber and titanium.
The disregard for safety came under the spotlight when, in January 2018, OceanGate’s Director of Marine Operations, David Lochridge, voiced significant safety concerns regarding the Titan submersible. When these concerns went unaddressed, he resorted to legal action, emphasizing the necessity for a safety assessment and certification, which OceanGate declined to undertake. The legal dispute eventually concluded in 2018.
However, on March 27, 2018, 36 prominent figures from the field of deep-sea exploration, including industry leaders, oceanographers, and seasoned ocean explorers, penned a letter to Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate. The letter implored him to exercise caution in the pursuit of safety, emphasizing that the experimental approach and lack of quality checks could potentially lead to a catastrophic accident.
In March 2018, another specialist in deep-sea exploration cautioned the CEO via email to adopt a more conservative approach to safety, highlighting the grave dangers faced by Rush and his clients. Throughout the race to reach the Titanic, Rush was accused of repeating a phrase synonymous with perilous overconfidence: “She is unsinkable.”
This tragic episode has now etched the name of Stockton Rush into history alongside other inventors who met their fate through their own creations, underscoring the irreplaceable significance of safety standards and regulations. It serves as a stark reminder that overlooking these safeguards can lead to disastrous outcomes.
