At the moment, we are working on our first prototype. The Unsinkable II  is the first iteration of our wax-based buoyancy system. When paraffin wax melts, it expands by up to 16%. The wax, which is held in a piston chamber, pushes the piston head out as it melts, effectively increasing the volume of the submersible. This increase results in a larger displacement of water, and therefore a larger buoyant force. The idea is to create a platform to test the depth control abilities of our paraffin wax, so the Unsinkable II consists of only the wax melting system. The completion of our prototype is slated for February of 2026.

Abyss currently consists of nine members from seven countries, with a wide range of technical and interpersonal skills. Our team strives to provide students an opportunity to develop their skills in a practical way, while providing them the satisfaction of seeing their individual contributions. Our goal is to create an experience where students enjoy the time they spend on the project, and look back on their effort with pride. We also have an ambitious mission to innovate in technologies integral to submersible function. Our proofs-of-concepts will one day hopefully open the scientific community to new ways of approaching ocean exploration.