China's Submersible Jiaolong Completes Test Dive Mission

China's manned submersible, the Jiaolong, returned to shore after completing five test dives in the Pacific Ocean, reaching 5,188 meters during its deepest dive, according to the State Oceanic Administration (SOA). The Jiaolong and its three crew members completed the dives between July 21 and August 1, paving the way for a record-breaking 7,000-meter test dive set for 2012. The series of undersea research experiments retrieved a great deal of information about the ocean floor while testing the submersible's functionality in deep sea environments. The Jiaolong, named after a mythical sea dragon, is the world's first manned submersible designed to reach depths of 7,000 meters below sea level, according to Xu Qinan, its chief designer. The submersible completed 17 dives in the South China Sea between May 31 and July 18 last year, reaching 3,759 meters during its deepest dive. China is the fifth country to send a man 3,500 meters below sea level, following the United States, France, Russia and Japan.