Fénix capsules
Encyclopedia
The Fénix capsules were three metallic containers that were used for the rescue of 33 trapped miners after the 2010 Copiapó mining accident
. The capsules were constructed by Astilleros y Maestranzas de la Armada Chilena (ASMAR), (Shipyards and Arsenals of the Chilean Navy), who named it Fénix (Phoenix
), after the legendary bird which consumed itself in fire and returned to life from the ashes.
, in collaboration with the United States space agency NASA
. They have a diameter of 54 centimetres (21 in), and have eight wheels located on the top and the bottom, with a damping system for mobility in the pipeline. The Fénix capsules have a harness to hold the occupant, an oxygen supply, and a microphone with speakers, which were used to connect the miners with the rescuers at the surface during the rescue.
Officially, three prototypes of the capsule were created. The Fénix 1 had a larger diameter than the other two capsules and was used in tests in the shaft created by the T-130 drill, where it descended to a depth of 610 metres (2,001.3 ft). Fénix 2 was operated with an Austrian pulley system and was used throughout the rescue of the miners. Fénix 3 was held in reserve and not used. The Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Navy, Admiral Edmundo González Robles said that ASMAR had also constructed a fourth capsule, that was not taken to Copiapó
, and that the Fénix capsules were going to be patent
ed.
Several major online news media organizations produced illustrations of the basic Fénix design.
. The Government announced a tour of the capsule all over the country, starting with its exhibition in the Plaza de la Constitución in Santiago
, the capital of Chile
.
Fénix 1 was exhibited at Expo Shangai 2010. One of the capsules is currently on display at the National Museum of Natural History
in Washington, D.C.
for a special exhibition titled "Against All Odds: Rescue at the Chilean Mine", which began on August 5, 2011.
Auction experts estimate that the Fénix 2 could be worth up to US$1 million. The senior valuer for auctioneers Dominic Winter in Gloucestershire
, England
said "The capsule is a 21st-century icon and symbolizes many things including the triumph of hope and the human spirit over adversity, teamwork and technology over nature and the myriad of uplifting stories of the 33 miners and their families. The capsule will be recognized by the whole world for decades to come and would be a major tourist attraction for any science or popular culture museum, which is its most logical home." Since August 3, 2011, the Fénix 2 capsule is displayed at the Atacama Regional Museum in Copiapó
.
2010 Copiapó mining accident
The 2010 Copiapó mining accident, also known as the "Chilean mining accident", began in the afternoon of Thursday, 5 August 2010 as a significant cave-in at the troubled 121-year-old San José copper–gold mine. The mine is located deep in the Atacama Desert, one of the driest and harshest...
. The capsules were constructed by Astilleros y Maestranzas de la Armada Chilena (ASMAR), (Shipyards and Arsenals of the Chilean Navy), who named it Fénix (Phoenix
Phoenix (mythology)
The phoenix or phenix is a mythical sacred firebird that can be found in the mythologies of the Arabian, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Chinese, Indian and Phoenicians....
), after the legendary bird which consumed itself in fire and returned to life from the ashes.
Description
The Fénix capsules were designed by the Chilean NavyChilean Navy
-Independence Wars of Chile and Peru :The Chilean Navy dates back to 1817. A year before, following the Battle of Chacabuco, General Bernardo O'Higgins prophetically declared "this victory and another hundred shall be of no significance if we do not gain control of the sea".This led to the...
, in collaboration with the United States space agency NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
. They have a diameter of 54 centimetres (21 in), and have eight wheels located on the top and the bottom, with a damping system for mobility in the pipeline. The Fénix capsules have a harness to hold the occupant, an oxygen supply, and a microphone with speakers, which were used to connect the miners with the rescuers at the surface during the rescue.
Officially, three prototypes of the capsule were created. The Fénix 1 had a larger diameter than the other two capsules and was used in tests in the shaft created by the T-130 drill, where it descended to a depth of 610 metres (2,001.3 ft). Fénix 2 was operated with an Austrian pulley system and was used throughout the rescue of the miners. Fénix 3 was held in reserve and not used. The Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Navy, Admiral Edmundo González Robles said that ASMAR had also constructed a fourth capsule, that was not taken to Copiapó
Copiapó
Copiapó is a city in northern Chile, located about 40 miles east of the coastal town of Caldera. Founded on December 8, 1744, it is the capital of Copiapó Province and Atacama Region....
, and that the Fénix capsules were going to be patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
ed.
Several major online news media organizations produced illustrations of the basic Fénix design.
Capsule after the rescue
After the rescue, possession of the Fenix 2 was the subject of a dispute between the Government of Chile, ASMAR and the Municipality of CopiapóCopiapó
Copiapó is a city in northern Chile, located about 40 miles east of the coastal town of Caldera. Founded on December 8, 1744, it is the capital of Copiapó Province and Atacama Region....
. The Government announced a tour of the capsule all over the country, starting with its exhibition in the Plaza de la Constitución in Santiago
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
, the capital of Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
.
Fénix 1 was exhibited at Expo Shangai 2010. One of the capsules is currently on display at the National Museum of Natural History
National Museum of Natural History
The National Museum of Natural History is a natural history museum administered by the Smithsonian Institution, located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., United States. Admission is free and the museum is open 364 days a year....
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
for a special exhibition titled "Against All Odds: Rescue at the Chilean Mine", which began on August 5, 2011.
Auction experts estimate that the Fénix 2 could be worth up to US$1 million. The senior valuer for auctioneers Dominic Winter in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
said "The capsule is a 21st-century icon and symbolizes many things including the triumph of hope and the human spirit over adversity, teamwork and technology over nature and the myriad of uplifting stories of the 33 miners and their families. The capsule will be recognized by the whole world for decades to come and would be a major tourist attraction for any science or popular culture museum, which is its most logical home." Since August 3, 2011, the Fénix 2 capsule is displayed at the Atacama Regional Museum in Copiapó
Copiapó
Copiapó is a city in northern Chile, located about 40 miles east of the coastal town of Caldera. Founded on December 8, 1744, it is the capital of Copiapó Province and Atacama Region....
.
See also
- Quecreek Mine RescueQuecreek Mine RescueThe Quecreek Mine Rescue took place in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, when nine miners were trapped underground for over 78 hours, from July 24 to 28, 2002...
involved a similar rescue capsule in Pennsylvania, July 2002 to rescue a trapped mining crew. - Dahlbusch BombDahlbusch BombA Dahlbusch Bomb is an emergency evacuation device for use in mining. In its original form it is a torpedo-shaped cylinder with a length of 2.5 metres , developed to transport trapped miners through boreholes after mining accidents...