NASA downplays role in development of Titan submersible that imploded [Video]

OceanGate co-founder Stockton Rush said the carbon fiber hull used in an experimental submersible that imploded en route to the wreckage of the Titanic was developed with help of NASA and aerospace manufacturers, but a NASA official testified Thursday that the space agency actually had little involvement at all.

OceanGate and NASA partnered in 2020 with NASA planning to play a role in building and testing the carbon fiber hull. But the COVID-19 pandemic prevented NASA from fulfilling its role, other than providing some consulting on an early mockup, not the ultimate carbon fiber hull that was used for people, said Justin Jackson, a materials engineer for NASA.

“We provided remote consultations throughout the build of their one third scale article, but we we did not do any manufacturing or testing of their cylinders,” Jackson said.

At one point, Jackson said NASA declined to allow its name to be invoked in a news release …