DSV Shinkai 6500

Shinkai 6500 (しんかい) is a crewed research submersible that can dive up to a depth of 6,500 metres (21,300 ft). It was completed in 1990. The Shinkai 6500 is owned and run by the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) and it is launched from the support vessel Yokosuka. Two pilots and one researcher operate within a 73.5 mm-thick (2.89 in) titanium pressure hull with an internal diameter of 2.0 metres (6 ft 7 in). Buoyancy is provided by syntactic foam. Three 14 cm (5.5 in) methacrylate resin view ports are arranged at the front and on each side of the vehicle. A Lego set based on the submersible was created through the Lego Cuusoo website.