After a long late night of test dives and data analysis, Challenger is now on its way across the shelf.

Due to the strength of the currents, the plan of trying to navigate through the canyon was scrapped in exchange of flying across the shelf and out towards open water.  The team down in Perth was able to provide us with a current map showing forecast and real time currents from the HF Radar network showing a strong current to the north:

29 is now set to try and fly due west across the shelf with the most dangerous part being climbing back up the far canyon wall with the potential of being slammed by the northward current.

Force Wind Sea & Honor

In preparation for the deployment this evening, the piloting team has pulled together some assets to help things go as smoothly as possible.

The planned deployment location is approximately  3202.8833 11450.9667 and so the first two way points will be set to 3131.03344 1140.4334 and then 3117.8167 11055.7833

Red line: presumed deployment

Yellow line: 110deg East

Finally here we have the ship traffic density plot for the area:

Force Wind Sea & Honor

Just after 9pm tonight, the crew in Australia deployed Challenger to kick off the circumnavigation of the Indian Ocean.

Over the weekend the plan is make our way towards open waters, snaking through the canyon and out to sea following the list of way points highlighted above.

Force Wind Sea & Honor

The lab in Australia had a number of esteemed visitors today to see RU29 off before she began her circumnavigation of the Indian ocean.  For good luck, the group re-christened the glider Challenger (RU29) with Indian Ocean water at the University of Western Australia’s glider port before deployment on its first leg of a planned Indian Ocean circumnavigation. L to R: Chip Haldeman, Rutgers glider pilot; Nick D’Adamo, Head – Perth Programme Office of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO and IOC IIOE-2 Coordinator; Scott Glenn, Rutgers Professor; Charitha Pattiaratchi, University of Western Australia Professor; Dr. Christopher Back, Liberal Senator for Western Australia and Chair, Senate Foreign Affairs, Defense & Trade Legislation Committee; and Dennis Stanley, UWA Glider Pilot.  On board the glider are flags from participating nations, including the United States, Australia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, India, Spain, Germany, Brazil and South Africa, plus a challenge coin from NOAA Administrator, Dr. Kathryn Sullivan.

The deployment which was originally scheduled for tonight has been delayed until Friday evening

Force Wind Sea & Honor

On Monday (Eastern)/Tuesday (Australia), Scott Glenn and Chip Haldeman arrived in Perth Australia for a long week of prep work for Challenger’s next mission: to circumnavigate the Indian Ocean.  The plan is to take 29 and fly from Perth to Sri Lanka passing by Indonesia; Then Sri Lanka to South Africa passing by Reunion Island; and then making the return trip from South Africa to Perth over the next few years.

Throughout the week, Chip and Scott will work with KK and Dennis to make final adjustments on ballast before the planned deployment Thursday evening

KK and Dennis in front of their new data display wall

Chip Installs the new thruster on RU29

The flags of each nation involved with the mission are stored inside of the glider for the duration of the flight

An official NOAA Challenger Coin given to the Challenger Mission by Dr. Kathryn Sullivan is also mounted on the inside of the glider

Force Wind Sea & Honor