Research Subs News Today

>> if this submersible could get to where the wreckage is, how effective do you think it could be? >> very effective. >> this is a view of a buried submersible. it can go 3,000 feet deep but like all research subs its slow. it only travels just over 1 mile per hour when searching. the sub was called to duty in 1986 after the space shuttle challenger exploded and it recovered some of the wreckage. >> we have the capability of lifting around 1,000 pounds of weight to the surface. >> and the very f...

>> reporter: at first glance it resembles a spacecraft. >> we have an array of light systems on the sub so you can turn on which ever light you need. >> reporter: jimmy nelson used to spend about 170 days a year on this sub, the johnson sea link submersible as its known. its now retired. >> all right. ready to go. >> ready to go. >> reporter: but other manned sea vehicles might be next in line to aid in the malaysia airline search. >> if this submersible gets to where the wreckage is, how effect...

Be? >> very effective. >> reporter: this is the view of the submersible in the atlantic ocean. it can go 3,000 feet deep. like all research subs its slow. only travels just one mile an hour when searching. the sub was called to duty in 1986 after the space shuttle "challenger" exploded. and it recovered some of the wreckage from the ill-fated shuttle. >> we have the capability of lifting 1,000 pounds of weight to the surface. >> reporter: the front of the submersible, a tool called the manipulat...