DSV Alvin

Alvin in 1978, a year after first exploring hydrothermal vents. The rack hanging at the bow holds sample containers.
History
United States
Name	Alvin
Namesake	Allyn Vine
Operator	Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Builder	General Mills' Electronics Group[1]
Acquired	May 26, 1964
In service	June 5, 1964
Status	in active service, as of 2023[ref]
General characteristics [2]
Type	Deep-submergence vehicle
Displacement	17 t (17 long tons)
Length	7.1 m (23 ft 4 in)
Beam	2.6 m (8 ft 6 in)
Height	3.7 m (12 ft 2 in)
Draft	2.3 m (7 ft 7 in)
Speed	2 knots (3.7 km/h; 2.3 mph)
Range	5 km (3.1 mi)
Endurance	72 hours with 3 crew
Test depth	6,500 m (21,300 ft)
Capacity	680 kg (1,500 lb) payload
Crew	3 (1 pilot, 2 scientific observers)

Alvin (DSV-2) is a crewed deep-ocean research submersible owned by the United States Navy and operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. The original vehicle was built by General Mills' Electronics Group^[1] in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Named to honor the prime mover and creative inspiration for the vehicle, Allyn Vine, Alvin was commissioned on June 5, 1964.

The submersible is launched from the deep submergence support vessel RV Atlantis (AGOR-25), which is also owned by the U.S. Navy and operated by WHOI. The submersible has made more than 5,200 dives, carrying two scientists and a pilot, observing the lifeforms that must cope with super-pressures and move about in total darkness, as well as exploring the wreck of Titanic. Research conducted by Alvin has been featured in nearly 2,000 scientific papers.