An unusual patron, Castorea, a human-powered submarine, will dive into the Langton Hall swimming pool this Friday.

The Oregon State University Human Powered Submarine team invites students to witness Castorea’s first swim this Friday from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.. During this groundbreaking launch, the submarine’s crew and single pilot will showcase the fruits of their labor.

“This pool day marks the beginning of our in-water testing phase,” Casper Huang, Vice President of the OSUHPS team said in an email. “It’s a behind-the-scenes look at the real engineering process.”

Castorea is controlled by the action of one pilot who generates power by riding a bicycle connected to a propeller. Nearly a year in the making, the submarine was constructed with carbon fiber for the hull and 3D-printed elements like the propeller. 

“Every part, from the steering fins to the latch mechanisms, was designed and built by our student team using composite materials, 3D printing, and in-house prototyping,” Huang said.

The OSUHPS team have their sights set on competing in the 2025 International Submarine Races. Friday’s event will not only be an opportunity for the team to test Castorea but also train the pilot and crew for the races, which are set to begin on June 22 in Washington D.C.

“This event is part of a much larger journey,” Huang said. “It brings us one step closer to competing in the 2025 International Submarine Races, where we’ll be the first team from Oregon to participate.”

OSUHPS invites students of all academic disciplines to learn about engineering and gain firsthand engineering experience. Their diverse team involves creatives, trained divers and engineers, according to Huang.

“Beyond competition, we’re building a sustainable, student-led program that can offer future classes the same kind of hands-on, collaborative engineering experience,” Huang said. “We’re also focused on growing institutional knowledge and passing down our hard-earned lessons to the next generation of students.”