Trieste (bathyscaphe)

The Trieste was a deep-diving research bathyscaphe, designed by Swiss scientist Auguste Piccard and built in Italy. It is most famous for making the deepest descent in history, reaching the bottom of the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench on January 23, 1960. The vessel was operated by the U.S. Navy during this historic dive, which was piloted by Jacques Piccard (Auguste's son) and U.S. Navy Lieutenant Don Walsh.

The Trieste consisted of a float filled with gasoline (used for buoyancy due to its lower density than water) and a spherical pressure hull, known as the "bathysphere," suspended underneath to house the crew and scientific equipment. The pressure hull was constructed of high-strength Krupp steel.

After its historic dive, the Trieste continued to be used by the U.S. Navy for deep-sea research and operations, including locating and recovering objects from the seabed. It was eventually retired from service and is now on display at the National Museum of the U.S. Navy in Washington, D.C.

The Trieste represented a significant achievement in engineering and ocean exploration, pushing the boundaries of what was then possible in deep-sea diving and providing valuable insights into the ocean's deepest environments. It paved the way for the development of future deep-submergence vehicles.