AssetID: 55182511
Headline: RAW VIDEO: Deep-sea Daredevil: Autonomous underwater robot sets off on five-year journey around the world to unlock the secrets of the sea
Caption: WORDS BYLINE: Hayley Chamberlain A self-piloting submarine has embarked on a record-breaking mission that could change the way scientists understand the world’s oceans. American universities Teledyne Marine and Rutgers have joined forces to launch Redwing, an autonomous underwater glider that will become the first robot to circumnavigate the globe without a human onboard. The journey begins off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, with the launch taking place from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution — one of the world’s leading centres for ocean science. A livestream of the launch was broadcast on Saturday, October 11, marking the start of Redwing’s five-year voyage through the planet’s largest and most unpredictable bodies of water. “This is a historic moment for ocean science,” said mission co-leader Scott Glenn, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences at Rutgers. “We’re deploying a robot that will travel the world’s oceans, gathering data. And we’re doing it with students, educators and international collaborators every step of the way.” Redwing — short for Research and Education Doug Webb Inter-National Glider — was named in honour of the late scientist Doug Webb, who invented the original Slocum glider and inspired a generation of ocean engineers. Built with a sleek carbon-fibre hull, the nearly nine-foot-long craft doesn’t rely on propellers. Instead, it moves by adjusting its buoyancy, sinking and rising through the water in a graceful zigzag pattern that conserves energy while gathering critical data. It’s not built for speed — averaging around 1 knot (1.15 mph) and reaching a maximum of 2 knots (2.3 mph) — but its endurance is unmatched. “This glider has the endurance and energy to do more than any other vehicle could,” said Shea Quinn, Teledyne’s Glider Product Line Manager and Sentinel Mission Lead. “It’s designed to stay out there for a year or two at a time.” Fitted with advanced sensors, Redwing will measure the ocean’s salinity, temperature and depth, sending real-time updates to scientists every eight to twelve hours via satellite. It will also carry a fish tracker capable of detecting tagged marine animals in the open sea — offering rare insights into migration patterns and marine ecosystems. “We live on an ocean planet,” said co-lead Oscar Schofield, who heads the Rutgers team with Glenn. “All weather and climate are regulated by the ocean. This mission will give us another tool we need to achieve real understanding.” Redwing’s route reads like a map of the world’s great currents. The glider will first ride the Gulf Stream eastward from Massachusetts toward Europe before turning south to stop at Gran Canaria off northwest Africa. From there, it will head to Cape Town, then cross the Indian Ocean to Western Australia and New Zealand. Its most demanding leg will be through the fierce Antarctic Circumpolar Current — the most powerful on Earth — before it heads north to the Falkland Islands, possibly visiting Brazil and the Caribbean on its way home to Massachusetts. “This is a truly historic mission,” said Brian Maguire, Chief Operating Officer at Teledyne Marine. “It will pave the way for a future where a global fleet of autonomous underwater gliders continuously gathers data from the oceans. These will deliver early warnings of extreme weather and will track the impact of shifting ocean currents so that we can refine long-term climate projections in a way that scientists have dreamed of for decades.” Beyond the scientific ambitions, Redwing’s journey also has an educational mission. More than 50 undergraduate students at Rutgers are enrolled in a research class taught by Glenn and Schofield, tracking the glider’s progress and blogging about its discoveries. The mission will also connect classrooms around the world, linking students through virtual exchanges, storytelling and cultural sharing. The project’s supporters include Teledyne Marine, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Vetlesen Foundation. As a symbolic gesture, Redwing carries a time capsule containing a letter from Rutgers President William F. Tate IV, who praised the project as a reflection of the university’s spirit of innovation. “Redwing’s global journey perfectly exemplifies the Rutgers Edge: a bold mission, a global collaboration in pursuit of knowledge, a student-centred scientific exploration, a new milestone in research and innovation,” he wrote.
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