Explorer Richard Garriott Dives to Deepest Point on Earth — Leaves Behind 'Secret Word' On Titanium Plate

Some people collect stamps, others collect experiences, but not Richard Garriott. He collects records from the edge of space to the bottom of the Earth. A man of many lives—space traveler, polar explorer, video game developer, and deep-sea adventurer, Garriott is a master of all arts, one can say. While many dream of exploring space or sailing to the ends of the Earth, Garriott has tasted success in both, stated the BBC.

His résumé reads like a Hollywood script. He’s ventured to the North Pole and South Pole, orbited Earth aboard the International Space Station, and even visited the wreck of the Titanic. In March 2021, he achieved something that only a handful in history can claim. He dived into the deepest known point on our Earth—the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, 36,000 feet under the Pacific Ocean. Just to clear our readers' doubts, yes, that is deeper than the height of Mount Everest. The expedition, completed in a specially designed submersible named ‘Limited Factor,’ lasted over 12 hours, with nearly four hours just to descend. It was not just a thrill-seeking voyage, it was something more than that.

Garriott and his team aimed to gather important samples from the ocean floor. The stunning submersible, engineered with 90mm thick titanium, was built to withstand the lethal pressure of more than 1,000 times the normal atmospheric pressure we normally experience on land. Richard remarked, "As a child, my parents instilled the passion for exploring and observing as a method of learning and understanding… As an adult, I find inspiration in exploring what often feels like alien environments and am pleased that we have often been able to make important scientific contributions along the way." However, his mission had a sobering side, too. He was able to see the deadly reach of plastic pollution into the deepest crevices of our planet. 

Moreover, in his glorious adventure, he also revealed, "We left behind a 6-inch-square [15 cm] titanium plate connected to a 6-foot [1.8 m] line of Kevlar with a syntactic foam float. On all sides of the float and all sides of the titanium is the geocache numerical identifier and a secret word. The reason for the secret word is so that the only people who will be allowed to claim that they've been the ones to find it are those who know the secret word, ensuring that they've actually visited," as per Collect Space. A unique ritual for the future generations of curious minds, who'll visit the deepest point.

Let's not forget that Garriott is also an astronomer. In 2008, he became the sixth person to explore space as a paying traveller. Garriott was able to spend 12 days in the International Space Station and called it a 'life-changing experience.' Many must be wondering what was the price he paid for this once-in-a-lifetime experience. All thanks to his fortune, he was able to pay a staggering amount of $30 million, according to stated BBC. Garriott always wanted to follow in his father's footsteps, who was an astronaut himself, and join NASA, but fate had something else planned for him. Due to poor eyesight, his dream was not fulfilled. However, he was not disheartened, and he channeled his passion towards making computer games as a teenager, and the rest is history.

Moreover, the Mariana Trench, where Garriott went, is a half-moon-shaped scar in the western Pacific Ocean, expanding about 1,580 miles, according to Live Science. Intriguingly, its deepest point, the Challenger Deep, is situated near the trench’s southern end, plunging around 36,000 feet, almost 11 kilometers, deep beneath the dark abyss. That’s seven miles down. Measuring its true depth, however, is not that easy. According to NOAA, challenges like pressure, temperature, salinity, and sonar limitations make precise readings almost next to impossible. Despite being one of the most stunning points on Earth, the Mariana Trench, the deepest point of the ocean, remains largely unmapped. The trench’s mystery makes it a hidden jackpot for experts. From the vast silence of space to the dark abyss of the sea, Garriott has seen it all. His curiosity knows no bounds. Only the future knows what else is left for him to achieve.