fka ftc said:
TexAg1987 said:
fka ftc said:
For those poking fun at the controller used, NatGeo supplied this reference to the US Navy using xBox controllers to aim laser cannons and operate periscopes.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/military-contractor-just-went-ahead-and-used-xbox-controller-their-new-giant-laser-cannon-180952647/
https://www.theverge.com/2017/9/19/16333376/us-navy-military-xbox-360-controller
Probably has had more testing and real-life abuse than anything the military could design.
#truth
I would think on an experimental machine you would want simple backups for things like the controller. For instance, is the ballast release mechanical and operable with no power? Or does it rely on a circuit that becomes inoperable due to power failure.
Complete power failure would mean no modem for comms and potential no ability to resurface. Nothing I have seen yet shows what redundancy they had or did not have in place.
It would be insane not to have redundancy on the control system and safety systems, that would at the very least supply them with backup power to release the ballasts. A mechanical release for the ballasts should have been mandatory.
There should also be redundant standalone comms systems with their own power source including but not limited to both acoustic and RF beacons. Hell, even a bouy that you could manually release to let them know you're alive and general location would be helpful.
Realistically this should be a bigger beefier design for commercial tours with multiple redundancies on all critical systems, tools, spare parts, an engineer, internally accessible control systems, fire suppression systems, CO2 scrubbers (with plenty of filters), backup O2, retrieval points for salvage (including a plan and available surface equipment), a positioning system that leaves no doubt of the craft's location for the surface ship), and preferably an escape pod with life support and space for all crew members to surface.