OceanGate Highlights Carbon-Fiber Hull Monitoring Technology Moments Before Setback

• Four months ago, OceanGate achieved a patent for its groundbreaking carbon-fiber hull acoustic monitoring technology.
• In a tragic incident on June 18, the Titan submersible launched into the Atlantic Ocean and experienced a catastrophic implosion, resulting in the loss of five lives.
• Experts speculate that the intense deep-sea pressure caused the collapse of the carbon-fiber hull, leading to the implosion.

Prior to the tragic implosion of OceanGate’s Titan submersible during its voyage to the RMS Titanic wreck, the company proudly celebrated a patent for their innovative acoustic system designed to monitor the carbon-fiber hull of the vessel.

The same carbon-fiber hull has now emerged as the primary suspect in what authorities refer to as the “catastrophic implosion” that occurred on June 18 as the submersible descended 12,500 feet to the ocean floor.

In a LinkedIn post from February, which OceanGate recently shared on National Inventor’s Day, the company highlighted their four patents related to the Titan, including the acoustic monitoring of the carbon fiber hull and the Launch and Recovery System.

The patent for the acoustic monitoring system, depicted in a screenshot attached to OceanGate’s LinkedIn post, described the technology as “systems and methods related to testing and/or monitoring acoustic emissions detected at composite structures, such as carbon fiber structures, intended for use in extreme conditions, such as in high pressure conditions.”

According to the patent, which credited OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush as the inventor, the technology had the capability of “predicting failure conditions, and the like.”

Rush, who tragically lost his life in the Titan implosion, had expressed strong confidence in the acoustic monitoring system, stating in a 2020 Reddit Q&A that it provided extensive testing and real-time monitoring to detect anomalies well before critical pressure levels were reached.

In addition to Rush, the other individuals on board the submersible included French Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, British billionaire Hamish Harding, British-Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood, and Dawood’s son, Suleman, who was 19 years old.

The Titan lost communication with the command ship approximately two hours after launch on June 18, triggering a frantic four-day search-and-rescue operation. Ultimately, debris from the Titan was discovered at the ocean floor, just 1,600 feet from the bow of the Titanic.

The Coast Guard and other agencies are currently investigating the cause of the implosion. Initial analysis of the Titan’s construction has led experts to criticize OceanGate’s decision to use a carbon-fiber composite for the hull, noting its susceptibility to pressure compared to more commonly used materials like titanium.

Upon reviewing photographs of the debris, one expert suggested that the implosion was likely due to the collapse of the carbon-fiber hull under the immense pressure of the ocean.

Last week, the Coast Guard announced the formation of a Marine Board of Investigation, the highest level of investigation conducted by the Coast Guard, to determine the cause of the implosion. The board has the authority to recommend civil or criminal consequences based on its findings.