Why can we go into space but not to the deepest part of the ocean?

Question

Tom · Answer

We only have to deal with pressures of ONE atmosphere in space-- as opposed to much more in the oceans.-So the tech is cheaper

Snowwie888 · Answer

One word: PRESSURE

Anonymous · Answer

Umm, we have been to the deepest (at least the deepest known) part of the ocean.

daniel g · Answer

We have been to the bottom of the Challenger deep,,nothing deeper.
The difference in space is only 1 atmosphere. Nothing compared to 1000 atmospheres at Challenger deep.

Gray Bold · Answer

We can. The Mariana Trench is located in the western Pacific Ocean about 200 kilometres (124 mi) east of the Mariana Islands; it is the deepest trench in the world. In April 2019 Victor Vescovo achieved a new record descent to 10,928 metres (35,849 ft.). He dived again in May 2019 and became the first person to dive the Challenger Deep twice.

Dixon · Answer

Pressure difference. A full vacuum is only one atmosphere of pressure different to normal atmospheric pressure - by definition. Whereas water is roughly one atmosphere increase in pressure every ten meters.

busterwasmycat · Answer

We can go, and have gone, to the deepest parts of the ocean.  But it is difficult in many unique ways, such as dealing with the very high pressures, the fact that water is an excellent heat sink, and moving through water is somewhat difficult compared with a vacuum or near vacuum.  The main issue, really, is political rather than technical, however.

We lack a lot of knowledge about the ocean and its depths largely because it is basically opaque to viewing, unlike space.  We can see planets and lots of space from here, without a lot of effort.  Hard to see through more than a few tens of meters through water though.  space is pretty transparent.  water, surprisingly, is not.

Bill-M · Answer

We have been to the deepest part of the ocean. Four manned descents and three unmanned descents have been achieved. The first was the manned descent by Swiss-designed, Italian-built, United States Navy-owned bathyscaphe Trieste which reached the bottom at 1:06 pm on 23 January 1960, with Don Walsh and Jacques Piccard on board. The name of the place is The Mariana Trench.

Bill · Answer

In  the  deepest  part of  the  ocean  the  pressure on a submarine's hull  would be  thousands of  pounds  per  square  inch.

A.J. · Answer

Sure we have gone to the deepest part of the ocean.
https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/explorations/ex1605/welcome.html
Neither is an easy task. High pressure and low temperature in the ocean and distance and near vacuum in space.

Why can we go into space but not to the deepest part of the ocean?

14 Answers