After roughly a day and a half at sea, Challenger reported back with one of the worst messages possible (second to no contact at all that is): an abort triggered by the leak detect.
Similar to the previous deployment in July out of Santos, RU29’s leak detect mechanism was triggered at depth resulting in the glider returning back to the surface to report on the matter. David Aragon then spent a significant amount of time running tests on the glider resulting in the decision to turn the glider back towards shore.
29 will now spend the weekend weaving her way back to the North West, where early next week a team will depart from the University of Sao Paulo, recover the glider, and report back to us on the gliders condition so we can than make further plans from there. But we will have more on that next week as the events transpire.
On another note, the images from the deployment of RU29 and USP03 are now online! Below are a select few but the full set can be viewed on our flickr page
Marcelo Dottori (U. Sao Paulo), Antonio Godoi (U. Sao Paulo), David Aragon (Rutgers), Chip Haldeman (Rutgers), Maisa Santos (Brazilian Navy), Scott Glenn (Rutgers), RU29 and USP03 in front of the Instituto Oceanografico, University Sao Paulo
Close up of USP03
RU29 completing a test dive
Force Wind Sea & Honor