Navigation
Onboard navigation consists primarily of the inertial navigation system and a gyrocompass. The inertial navigation system calculates the position, speed, acceleration, and bearing. The gyrocompass works with a motion sensor to compute roll, pitch, surge, sway, and heave to the nearest tenth of a degree, as well as confirming the speed and direction given by the inertial system. An echo sounder gives precise information about the ocean floor while a dual-frequency sonar aids the crew in avoiding obstacles. A side-scan sonar used in conjunction with a sub-bottom profiler provides an even more complete picture of the environment in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle. Fiber-optic cables relay the information to computers running integrated navigation software inside the submersible. Scan repeaters in the pilot's hemisphere and at the rear of the cabin compile all the information and display them in large bright figures.

An electromagnetic compass will be used for backup in case the inertial navigation system and gyrocompass fail. A second dynamic motion sensor and a depth gauge give further orientation data, completing the auxiliary navigational system. All digital scan repeaters are reading input from both the main and secondary systems and checking that the measurements agree with each other. In case of malfunction, they can take input from only the primary or only the secondary system.

A GPS receiver with dual antenna input gives the location in latitude and longitude when the vehicle is near the surface. Transponders on the habitat, the manned robotic vehicle, and the ship allow the crew to track their respective positions. A transponder on the submersible itself will make it easier for the support ship to find the submersible.

The pilot navigates inside a hemispherical view port with a diameter of 1.5 meters. Three high quality color wide-angle cameras with a 12X zoom lens complement the view port. Two 1200 W vapor arc discharge lamps and eight 500 W lights allow the pilot to avoid obstacles 50 meters below sea level.