Jason (ROV)
Two-body ROV operated by WHOI for deep-sea exploration and sampling.
Jason is a two-part remotely operated vehicle (ROV) built and run by the National Deep Submergence Laboratory at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). Its construction started in 1982, and the first version launched in 1988. A redesigned model, Jason II, came out in 2002. By 2020, the ROV had been on 147 cruises, logging more than 1,200 dives and over 16,000 hours underwater.
The project began in 1982 to free researchers from the limits of crewed submersibles like Alvin. Alvin could only stay on the seafloor for three to four hours, needed costly safety planning, and required a complex handling system due to its size. Jason’s first mission took place in 1988 at Hood Canal in Washington state. The original ROV completed more than 200 launches before being retired in 2001. The second-generation Jason II underwent sea trials in July 2002 at Nubbin Seamount in the Cascadia basin. In 2016, the vehicle got a new frame, tether, recovery system, and skids, boosting its payload by several thousand pounds.
A 10-kilometer (6-mile) electro-optical-mechanical tether sends power and commands from the ship through Medea to Jason, which then sends back data and live video. Medea acts as a shock absorber, keeping Jason steady despite ship movements, and provides lighting and an overhead view during seafloor work. Jason does not need its own ship but does require modular workshop and control vans for operation and maintenance on any vessel. It also needs an overboard handling system—such as a crane or A-frame—along with a winch system and data center installed on the ship.
Jason carries sonar imaging, video, still, and electronic cameras, plus lighting gear. It has precision navigation tools and sensors for depth, tilt, and altitude above the seafloor. Its manipulator arms can collect samples, placing them in a small basket on the vehicle or, for heavier items, on an attached elevator platform that brings them to the surface. Payload capacity is 50 kilograms. Attitude is measured by a two-axis clinometer with 0.1-degree resolution. Heading comes from a flux-gate compass with 0.1-degree resolution. A gimballed gyro provides 0.1-degree resolution. Depth is read by a bulk semiconductor strain gauge with 1-meter resolution. Altitude uses a 120kHz sensor updating at 2Hz, with a 33-meter range and 0.1-meter resolution.
- Operator
- National Deep Submergence Laboratory, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
- First launched
- 1988
- Second iteration (jason ii) sea trials
- July 2002
- Cruises completed (as of 2020)
- 147
- Dives completed (as of 2020)
- over 1,200
- Dive time (as of 2020)
- over 16,000 hours
- Payload
- 50 kg
Lore & Background
Development on Jason/Medea began in 1982 with the goal of removing constraints of human-operated vehicles such as Alvin, which had limited seafloor time and required extensive planning. Jason's original commission was in 1988, with a deployment at Hood Canal in Washington state, USA. The first-generation ROV was involved in over 200 launches until its retirement in 2001. The second-generation ROV, called Jason II, had its sea trials in July 2002 at Nubbin Seamount in the Cascadia basin. In 2016, Jason was upgraded with a new frame, tether, recovery system, and skids that increased the payload by several thousand pounds.
A 10-kilometer electro-optical-mechanical tether delivers electrical power and commands from the ship through Medea and down to Jason, which then returns data and live video imagery. Medea serves as a shock absorber, buffering Jason from ship movements while providing lighting and a bird's-eye view during seafloor operations. Jason does not require an entire ship for operations but does require modular workshop and control vans, as well as an overboard handling system such as a crane or A-frame, winch system, and data center installed on the vessel.
Jason is equipped with sonar imaging, video, still, and electronic cameras, and appropriate lighting gear. It carries precision navigation equipment and sensors for depth, vehicle attitude, and altitude from the seafloor. Its manipulator arms can collect samples that may be placed in a small basket attached to the vehicle or, for heavier items, on an attached elevator platform that carries them to the surface.
Reader's Guide
Jason's significance lies in its role as a workhorse ROV for deep-sea research, providing a platform for extended seafloor operations that were previously limited by human-occupied submersibles. With over 16,000 hours of dive time and more than 1,200 dives as of 2020, it has enabled sustained observation, sampling, and intervention at depths unreachable by divers. Its two-body design, with Medea as a shock absorber, allows stable operations even in challenging conditions. The 2016 upgrade increased its payload capacity, extending its utility for heavier equipment and samples. Jason's ability to operate from various vessels with modular support systems makes it a flexible tool for oceanographic institutions. Its legacy includes the recovery of two other ROVs, Hercules and Argus, in 2021 after their tether broke off Vancouver Island, demonstrating its operational reliability and the value of having a capable ROV nearby.
Did You Know?
- Jason and Medea were named after the married characters of Greek mythology.
- A prototype called Jason Jr. was used with Alvin to explore Titanic in 1986; Jason Jr. was lost at sea in 1991.
- In late summer 2021, Jason recovered two other ROVs, Hercules and Argus, after their tether broke off Vancouver Island.
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