June 8, 2025. About the journey to "hell" dreamed Homer in his "Odyssey", Jules Verne in "Journey to the Center of the Earth." Today, getting to the Earth's core is manifested in innovative records from the drilling flagship "Meng Xiang".
The 'Meng Xiang' (Dream) drill ship is preparing to embark on a multi-year project to drill into the Earth's crust as part of China's Deep Ocean Drilling Program.
The primary goal is to reach the Mohorovičić discontinuity (Moho), the boundary between the Earth's crust and mantle. This will allow scientists to directly study samples and properties of this area.
The Meng Xiang, commissioned in Guangzhou on November 17, 2024, is designed for deep-sea resource exploration, including oil, gas, and natural gas hydrates. The vessel is 560 ft (180 m) long, with a displacement of 42,600 tonnes, and can drill up to 36,000 ft (11,000 m) below the sea surface.