FIBER OPTIC CABLE RECOVERY SYSTEM

THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO GENERATE A FEASIBLE DESIGN FOR A SYSTEM THAT WILL EXPEDIENTLY RECOVER SMALL-DIAMETER, FIBER-OPTIC, LAND-DEPLOYED CABLE. THIS PROJECT ALSO INCLUDES THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONCEPT DESIGN FOR THE CABLE-RECOVERY SYSTEM WITH SUPPORT ANALYSIS TO SUPPORT THE FEASIBILITY DESIGN. THE DESIGN WILL PROVIDE DEFINITION AND SPECIFICATION OF ALL SENSORS, CONTROLS, AND MECHANICAL COMPONENTS. FOR THIS PROJECT, WE PROPOSE TO USE STATE-OF-THE-ART OCEAN SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPED BY WESTERN FOR THE HANDLING AND RECOVERY OF SMALL-DIAMETER, FIBER-OPTIC CABLE IN THE DEEP OCEAN. AS A BY-PRODUCT OF THIS PROJECT, WE WILL GAIN A SPECIFIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE INTER-RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE RECOVERY, RE-SPOOLING, AND PAY-OUT SYSTEMS. THIS PROPOSAL IS THE FIRST PHASE OF A LARGE UNDERTAKING WHICH INCLUDES FABRICATING A PROTOTYPE FOR A CABLE-RECOVERY SYSTEM BASED ON THIS DESIGN, AND THEN, DEMONSTRATING THE VALIDITY OF THE DESIGN.