2010 Copiapó mining accident steel rescue capsules, dubbed "Fénix" (English: Phoenix) were constructed by the Chilean Navy with design input from NASA. The navy incorporated most of NASA's suggestions and produced three rescue pods: "Fénix" 1, 2 and 3, all enhanced versions of the Dahlbusch Bomb used for mine rescue. "Fénix" 1 was presented to journalists and the miners' relatives for their assessment. The eventual capsule used to rescue the 33 men was the "Fénix 2", a device in diameter, narrow enough to avoid hitting the sides of the tunnel. It had retractable wheels to allow for a smoother ride to the surface, an
Rescue plans for 2010 Copiapó mining accident An Austrian system of cranes and pulleys designed for the rescue capsule eventually pulled the miners to the surface. But overall, it was widely a Chilean-led team and effort. As one NASA specialist said while visiting early on in the rescue: “The Chileans are basically writing the book.” Rescue plans for 2010 Copiapó mining accident The 2010 Copiapó mining accident began as a cave-in on 5 August 2010 at the San José copper-gold mine in the Atacama Desert near Copiapó, Chile. The accident left 33 men trapped below ground who survived underground for a record 69 days. All 33 men