Rarotonga, Cook Islands — Orpheus Ocean recently returned from our second commercial mission, in the EEZ of the Cook Islands. The mission, in partnership with CIC Ocean Research, was intended as a technology test in an operational ultra-deep water environment, to validate vehicle behavior, demonstrate new remote operations capabilities, and gain a deep understanding of customer environmental imaging requirements.

A smooth 36 hour mobilization period on Rarotonga encompassed vehicle delivery, assembly, and checkout. It also included the creation of our first remote operations center, seamlessly linking ship and shore, enabling onboard support from only two Orpheus crew, and further streamlining infrastructure required at sea.  The Orpheus team then worked closely with CIC personnel to adapt the vehicle camera and light configuration to required specifications during a series of dip tests.

After departure and transit to the target site, the Orpheus AUV was deployed and successfully recovered four times, reaching a maximum depth of 5,000 m. However due to a combination of unforeseen technical challenges with the vehicle and impending foul weather conditions, the expedition was wrapped without completion of the intended science objectives. 

The mission produced valuable learning opportunities on vehicle behavior in deep ocean environments, and highlighted how important operation in real-world mission circumstances can be for refinement and testing of robotic systems. The Orpheus ops team worked tirelessly in challenging offshore conditions to diagnose and fix identified issues, prepare the vehicle for timely deployment, and adapt the vehicle configuration to meet changing priorities. We are grateful for the professionalism and dedication of the crew - both Orpheus operators and ship’s personnel - whose quick thinking and steady work made for safe operations.

We also wish to thank CIC and the CIC operations and science teams for their hospitality and partnership during the cruise. CIC’s local knowledge, industry experience, and equipment support were critical to smooth and successful mobilization and helped the team to manage difficult conditions at sea.

The team’s focus now is on finishing data analysis, documenting lessons learned, and validating fixes in follow-on trials for our next mission. We look forward to returning to Rarotonga soon.

Onwards and downwards!