Ben Franklin (PX-15)
The Ben Franklin mesoscaphe, also known as the Grumman/Piccard PX-15, is a crewed underwater submersible, built in 1968. It was the brainchild of explorer and inventor Jacques Piccard. The research vessel was designed to house a six-man crew for up to 30 days of oceanographic study in the depths of the Gulf Stream. NASA became involved, seeing this as an opportunity to study the effects of long-term, continuous close confinement, a useful simulation of long space flights.
| History | |
|---|---|
| United States | |
| Name | Ben Franklin |
| Namesake | Benjamin Franklin |
| Builder | Giovanola/Grumman |
| Laid down | 1966 |
| Launched | 1968 |
| In service | 1969 |
| Out of service | 1971 |
| Status | Museum ship |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Submersible |
| Displacement | 130 long tons (132 t) |
| Length | 48 ft 9 in (14.86 m) |
| Beam | 21 ft 6 in (6.55 m) |
| Height | 20 ft (6.1 m) |
| Propulsion | 4 × electric motors, lead batteries |
| Test depth | Crush depth: 4,000 ft (1,200 m) |
| Crew | 6 |
| Armament | None |
The ship was named after American Founding Father Benjamin Franklin.
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