The Deep Phreatic Thermal Explorer (DEPTHX) project is creating the navigation and autonomy needed to enable an underwater robot to map the depths of the Zacaton Cenote in central Mexico. This scientific investigation is seeking to understand the unique organisms that survive in this, the deepest sink hole in the world (300 m).
The DEPTHX project is led by Stone Aerospace, Field Robotic Center at Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute, who designed and integrated the vehicle. Southwest Research Institute has built the sciencepayload for science investigators from the University of Texas at Austin, Colorado School of Mines, and NASA Ames Research Center. Carnegie Mellon is developing the navigation and guidance software to map the cenote and autonomously execute the exploration strategy.
Depthx has 100 sensors, 36 computers and 16 thrusts ( small actuators) and is navigating autonomously.
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