description Jacques Piccard Overview
Jacques Piccard was a Swiss oceanographer and engineer known for developing and piloting deep-diving bathyscaphes. On 23 January 1960, he and United States Navy officer Don Walsh descended in the bathyscaphe Trieste to the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, reaching a measured depth commonly reported as about 10,916 metres. Their voyage was the first crewed descent to the deepest known region of the ocean and demonstrated that a submersible could operate under extreme deep-sea pressure.
insights Ranking position
Jacques Piccard ranks #17 of 180 in the Explorer ranking, behind Robin Knox-Johnston, ahead of Joshua Slocum.
help Jacques Piccard FAQ
How deep did Jacques Piccard and Don Walsh go in the Trieste?
They reached the floor of Challenger Deep, nearly 11 kilometers below the Pacific surface. The descent on January 23, 1960 made them the first people to reach the deepest known part of the ocean.
Why did the Trieste use gasoline instead of air for buoyancy?
Gasoline is lighter than seawater and far less compressible than air at extreme depth. The crew occupied a separate pressure sphere attached beneath the bathyscaphe's large gasoline-filled float.
Who was with Jacques Piccard during the Challenger Deep dive?
Piccard made the descent with United States Navy officer Don Walsh. They spent several hours descending before briefly observing the seafloor and beginning the return to the surface.
Was Jacques Piccard related to balloonist Auguste Piccard?
Yes. Auguste Piccard was Jacques's father and helped pioneer the bathyscaphe concept after becoming known for high-altitude balloon flights.
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