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The HA-UV-1, (Hyper, Advanced, Underwater, Vessel, one) more commonly referred to, as the Arcturos submarine, is the first deepsea vessel of its kind. Construction of this pinnacle of subsurface seafaring technology started shortly after the global press address on year fifty of the Sixth Era (a little over ten years ago to this day)

The primary catalyst required for its construction came in from of the creation of the substance known as arcturian-weave; it was named after the scientist who first discovered it. This bio-metallic material allowed for the creation of a shell that can adapt to extreme pressures. When exposed to a specific type of electrical current, its shape and resilience can be altered; however, going too far in a particular direction can make the substance brittle. After years of extensive testing, a group led by one Ward Hathoway learned that a submarine designed around significant incorporation of this substance would be capable handling up to twenty-five-hundred times the atmospheric pressure found at sea level. (This equates to an estimated dive depth capability of twenty-five kilometres)

The Arcturos consists of two identical units, interlocked at the middle to create one massive two-hundred-and-fifty-meter long submarine. The reason for this design philosophy was two-fold.
- First, redundancy, if for whatever reason one section would fail, there would be a backup with which to escape to the surface. The depths the Arcturos was planned to reach would entail that no other known vessel could perform a rescue mission in the event of an emergency.
- Secondly, multi-faceted exploration capability. Once at the desired depth, the possibility of splitting the main fuselage into two vessels would allow for a comprehensive exploration range.

The current Ephalon diving record stands at thirteen-point-three kilometres. The Arcturos mission intends to explore the region known as the Eye of Ephalon, located in the Kraad Ocean; a place which sonar scans up to present day have been unable to penetrate beyond the fourteen-kilometre depth range. Due to the unknown nature of this area, the Arcturos was fitted with protective barriers purposed to take any physical damage in the case of collision. The thinking was that given the extreme depths it is set to explore, it was unknown if the water make-up would allow for far-enough sound penetration to measure the position of nearby objects accurately.

The maximum safe operating speed of the Arcturos clocks in at thirty-five kilometres per hour, and any attempt to travel faster is impossible due to the sheer size of the vessel. The engines would tear themselves from the main fuselage. Additionally, they are capable of full reverse thrust and are built upon a gimbal which allows them to manoeuvre up and down in twenty-degree angle. These capabilities are used for turning, stabilisation rolling, and abrupt braking. (the latter is for absolute emergencies only due to the danger to its crew) There is a gyroscope system employed on the submarine to help with constant minute adjustments, which ensures in as little sway as possible during travel.

The Arcturos is powered by two NFS 'Crush' reactors, one for each main section. These are fourth-generation nuclear fusion power generators. The fuel source for these reactors comes directly from the ocean around it. It uses a special siphon built into the exterior hull of the submarine to pump water into splitting tanks from which it then extracts hydrogen and other small atoms to power the reactor. An inherent risk of using fusion energy on the submarine comes with the fact they need to stay on at all times.

In case of a complete emergency shutdown, the vessel comes equipped with a significant battery supply which would allow for thirty minutes of uninterrupted operation at a seventy-percent output of all commonly used systems. To counteract this problem, the Arcturos is outfitted with two SV-burst (Spatial Vortex) generators per reactor. These miniature anti-matter reactors have enough potential energy to kickstart the fusion process. However, they can be used only once.

Upon the top of each section, there is an entry hatch. The bottom of the submarine has three airlocks used to deploy mini-exploration-subs. These are not as capable as the main vessel, and therefore cannot be used beyond twenty-kilometres depth. Also, each hatch comes with an extendable and movable tube complete with drills at the edge. In theory, this could be used to board another vessel as long as the proper pressurisation safety protocol is enacted.

The Arcturos comes complete with a mess hall, recreation room, multiple research offices, and a 'holo' room which simulates the sensation of being outside. It was deemed a requirement as the average mission time for hyper-deepsea dives was estimated at minimum of ten days. The prolonged absence of open-air or sunlight exposure is considered a psychological risk to its crew, hence its inclusion.

Would you like to know more? Feel free to contact the Gnigenma research center. Any one of our employees would be eager to help you. Please, be aware that not all details are for public consumption, and to gain access to these you must present proper identification and security clearance. Have a beautiful day.

Enjoy!

Art by Netherwulf
Arcturos submarine © R.E.S.
Ephalon © Robert Edwards

Disclaimer:
Please be aware that this image is copyrighted. And may never under any circumstance be re-posted without the explicit written authorization of myself. This includes the changing or modifying of the image.