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A Weighty Moment

WHOI engineer Don Peters, right, and Pat Hickey, former head of the Alvin Operations Group, watched as the newly upgraded submersible was weighed in the WHOI Highbay in January 2013. Historically, the sub’s weight and balance had been well known, but nearly 70 percent of the components in the upgraded sub were new, which dramatically changed its weight, center of gravity, balance, trim, and lift point. Engineers had calculated to the best of their abilities how much the new sub would weigh. Still it was a nail-biter, Peters said, when they put the sub on the scale to see how accurate their calculations were, which turned out to be with in one-half percent of the expected weight. (Photo by Tom Kleindinst, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)