I think it largely is a solved problem. They just didn’t use one of the known, well tested solutions. Instead they used a shape (cylinder with spherical end caps) known to have force concentration problems as well as a composite material known to be weaker under compression than in tension.
Then they bonded the titanium rings to the CF tube in a flippin’ warehouse. Not a dust free, temperature controlled clean room. Not under vacuum to ensure no trapped air in the epoxy weakened the seal. Nope, in a regular ass warehouse, by hand. And while the titanium rings would be pressed into place by the enormous amount of pressure from the water column, any leak no matter how tiny, would be catastrophic.
Not to mention the other corners they cut. What about all the other hazards for submersibles? Was there any way to protect the passengers if there was a fire, or smoke from the off the shelf electrical gear? What about restraints for the passengers should they surface under heavy seas or if the submersible were to become unstable? Would the ballasts be deployable if power is lost?
It’s a shock to me that it survived the first dive, let alone multiple. It’s negligent arrogance, plain and simple.
I got pulled over in Germany with weed from Amsterdam in the car (I’m an American, visiting my friend). I’m leaving the country the next day, I show them my plane ticket, so instead of giving me a ticket, they have us follow them to an ATM instead and give them 200€. They take my weed, my brand new bubbler, and most of my remaining money. All I was left with was this story.
Another time, was camping with friends for a week. We have an ounce with us, at the time a big problem if we got caught. We’re on day 1 of 7, sitting on the tailgate of my car, smoking a one hitter and eating PBJs. Cop wheels around the corner, catches us. Started searching my car, I have no fuckin clue where my buddy stashed the bag. I’m sweating bullets. Cop tears the car apart looking for what he knows must be there, but finds nothing. Eventually leaves us with a minor ticket and takes our grinder and our piece. Immediately after he leaves I turn to my friend “where the fuck is the weed!?!” He’s laughing hysterically, lifts up the loaf of bread that was sitting right next to us on the tailgate the entire time, it’s just chilling there in plain sight.