From outer-space to inner-space!
In 1984, Dr. Kathy Sullivan became the first American woman to spacewalk outside the space shuttle, 140 miles above the earth. Now, as a 68-year old astronaut-turned-oceanographer, she's become the first person to spacewalk and reach the bottom of the Mariana Trench. On Sunday, Sullivan emerged from a one-of-a-kind deep-sea research submersible called the Limiting Factor after a successful 35,810-foot dive to the deepest point in the ocean.
36 years after my space walk, I became the first woman to dive to the deepest known spot in the ocean - the Challenger Deep. #WorldOceansDay pic.twitter.com/KWJxx4fBYR
— Kathy Sullivan (@AstroKDS) June 9, 2020
Just back up from Challenger Deep! My co-pilot was Dr. Kathy Sullivan - now the first woman to the bottom of the ocean and a former astronaut as well as NOAA Administrator! Big congratulations to her! This was my 3rd time to the bottom. Well done by the crew, Triton, and EYOS.
— Victor Vescovo (@VictorVescovo) June 7, 2020
Sullivan and Victor L. Vescovo, the CEO of Caladan Oceanic, spent an hour and a half in the Challenger Deep, gathering data and images before ascending over the course of four hours.
After surfacing, Sullivan and Vescovo called a group of astronauts aboard the International Space Station, which is orbiting around 254 miles above the earth.
Why? Dr. Sullivan explains in a statement released by EYOS Expeditions (the company that coordinated the trip's logistics):
“As a hybrid oceanographer and astronaut this was an extraordinary day, a once in a lifetime day, seeing the moonscape of the Challenger Deep and then comparing notes with my colleagues on the ISS about our remarkable reusable inner-space outer-spacecraft."
What a way to kick off #WorldOceansDay Dr. Kathy Sullivan becomes 1st woman to Challenger Deep & then connects to the @Space_Station Private companies leading the way in next generation of exploration @SpaceX @tritonsubs @CaladanOceanic https://t.co/U4NMc8iLa1
— EYOS Expeditions (@EYOSExpeditions) June 8, 2020
Photo:E. Alvarez pic.twitter.com/7nhqtUBKoY
A Notch in the Belt for Dr. Sullivan
In 1978, Sullivan joined NASA as part of the first co-ed group of U.S. astronauts. Later in life, she became the administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Sullivan has always cultivated a dual love for the extremes of outer space and the deep ocean. According to a space history site, she was also part of the first attempts to study volcanic processes that create the ocean crust, before she became an astronaut.
Courtesy NASA
The Limiting Factor
Tim Shank, a biologist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, told the New York Times that there is only one submarine in the world that could reach the Challenger Deep. That one craft is the Limiting Factor.
“I’m thrilled to hear that [Dr. Sullivan] was in it," he said. "Anytime we can reach such extreme places on Earth to learn about them, it’s a major event.”
If you want to see the submarine in action, check out this video:
Would anything compel you to visit the stygian depths at the bottom of the ocean? Or would you rather go to space? Comment below!
