USS Pennsylvania - The U.S. Navy largest submarine

[nodle]

Pretty interesting video to watch. Neat to see how the oxygen is made. I can't imagine being down there for so long. Talk about a mental load on someone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxB11eAl-YE

 

[nodle]

Basically the only thing from ever stopping this thing from coming into port is the crew itself. So I bet you they are working on/have already made a drone version. Basically remove the human aspect from it and it can go forever.

 

[ndboarder]

I watched this yesterday and it was pretty interesting. A drone version could be a lot smaller, not needing to provide room for crew, not needing to generate oxygen, or at least only needing a very small supply for the one or two occasional service visits or something.

The other route would be to incorporate self sustaining capabilities. Harvest sea water to generate fresh water and grow stuff. Wouldn't probably ever be able to sustain enough to feed the entire crew, especially if it was an all vegetarian crew, but could probably squeeze a few more days/weeks out of each deployment.

 

[nodle]

I have read they have done experiments with an algae like substance that is suppose to maintain a Human body quite well. It would be perfect in a situation like this. I also found the part about the nuclear reactor still running off that tiny piece of plutonium. That's really amazing stuff after all those years with no degradation.