HMS Challenger
Encyclopedia
Eight ship
s of the Royal Navy
have been named HMS Challenger, most famously the survey vessel
Challenger
that carried the Challenger expedition
from 1872 to 1876.
Ship
Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
s of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
have been named HMS Challenger, most famously the survey vessel
Survey vessel
A survey vessel is any type of ship or boat that is used for mapping. It is a type of research vessel.-Role:The task of survey vessels is to map the bottom, benthic zone, full water column, and surface for the purpose of:* hydrography* general oceanography...
Challenger
HMS Challenger (1858)
HMS Challenger was a steam-assisted Royal Navy Pearl-class corvette launched on 13 February 1858 at the Woolwich Dockyard. She was the flagship of the Australia Station between 1866 and 1870....
that carried the Challenger expedition
Challenger expedition
The Challenger expedition of 1872–76 was a scientific exercise that made many discoveries to lay the foundation of oceanography. The expedition was named after the mother vessel, HMS Challenger....
from 1872 to 1876.
- The first Challenger was a 16-gun brig-sloop launched in 1806 and captured by the French in 1811.
- The second Challenger was an 18-gun brig-sloop launched in 1813 and later used as a store hulk before being sold in 1824.
- The third Challenger was a 28-gun 6th rate launched in 1826 and wrecked off ChileChileChile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
in 1835. Under the command of Charles FremantleCharles FremantleAdmiral Sir Charles Howe Fremantle GCB RN was a British Royal Navy officer. The city of Fremantle in Western Australia is named after him.-Early life:...
, it was in part responsible for the creation of the colony of Western AustraliaWestern AustraliaWestern Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
in 1829. - The fourth Challenger was to have been an 18-gun corvetteCorvetteA corvette is a small, maneuverable, lightly armed warship, originally smaller than a frigate and larger than a coastal patrol craft or fast attack craft , although many recent designs resemble frigates in size and role...
of 810 tons; the ship was ordered from Chatham DockyardChatham DockyardChatham Dockyard, located on the River Medway and of which two-thirds is in Gillingham and one third in Chatham, Kent, England, came into existence at the time when, following the Reformation, relations with the Catholic countries of Europe had worsened, leading to a requirement for additional...
in 1845, but cancelled in 1848. - The fifth ChallengerHMS Challenger (1858)HMS Challenger was a steam-assisted Royal Navy Pearl-class corvette launched on 13 February 1858 at the Woolwich Dockyard. She was the flagship of the Australia Station between 1866 and 1870....
was a screw corvette launched in 1858, converted to a survey ship in 1872 in preparation for her famous voyage, hulked in 1880, and sold in 1921. The research ship Glomar ChallengerGlomar ChallengerThe 120m long Glomar Challenger was a deep sea research and scientific drilling vessel for oceanography and marine geology studies. It was designed by Global Marine Inc...
and the Space Shuttle ChallengerSpace Shuttle ChallengerSpace Shuttle Challenger was NASA's second Space Shuttle orbiter to be put into service, Columbia having been the first. The shuttle was built by Rockwell International's Space Transportation Systems Division in Downey, California...
were named after this ship. - The sixth ChallengerHMS Challenger (1902)HMS Challenger was a second-class protected cruiser of the Challenger class of the Royal Navy.Commissioned on 30 May 1904, she commenced duty on the Australia Station. She was paid off into reserve on 10 October 1912 before recommissioning during the First World War...
was a "2nd class cruiser" (a protected cruiserProtected cruiserThe protected cruiser is a type of naval cruiser of the late 19th century, so known because its armoured deck offered protection for vital machine spaces from shrapnel caused by exploding shells above...
) of the Challenger classChallenger class cruiserThe Challenger class cruisers were a two-ship class of second class protected cruisers of the Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy.-Ships: - Sold 1920 - To Australia 1912 as HMAS Encounter, renamed Penguin 1923, scuttled 1932.-References:...
in service from 1902 to 1920. - The seventh ChallengerHMS Challenger (1931)HMS Challenger was a survey ship of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy. She was laid down in 1930 at Chatham Dockyard and built in a dry dock. After that, the ship was moved to Portsmouth for completion and commissioned on 15 March 1932.-Service history:...
was a survey ship launched in 1931 and broken up 1954. - The eighth ChallengerHMS Challenger (K07)HMS Challenger was a unique vessel in Royal Navy service, purpose built to support deep sea operations and saturation diving. Built by Scotts at Greenock, the ship was launched on 19 May 1981, but not commissioned until 1984, during a time when the Royal Navy was cutting back on expenditure...
, the RN's first purpose built ship for support of saturation diving missions, was launched in 1981 and sold in 1993.