Exploring the ocean for national benefit

NOAA Ocean Exploration is the only federal program dedicated to exploring the unknown ocean, unlocking its potential through scientific discovery, technological advancements, partnerships, data delivery, and education.

Learn About Science & Exploration

Learn About Ocean Exploration

Dive into ocean exploration by exploring materials such as stories, ocean facts, and images and videos, organized by topic for learners of all ages and levels.

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Highlights

Expeditions & Projects
Two researchers in hard hats on a ship’s deck transfer water samples from bottles on a remotely operated vehicle to plastic bags.

SOUP: A Recipe for Managing Data from the Abyss to Archive

Every sample collected during expeditions on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer contributes to a greater understanding of the data-scarce deep ocean. To enhance the integrity of the data associated with these samples, NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) developed a new, modern sampling data management system.
A pale squat lobster with red eyes clings to a branching coral structure in the deep ocean.
Expeditions & Projects
Predicting Deep-Sea Coral Diversity Across the Pacific Islands
A technical diver uses a small light to investigate a steep coral reef wall in deep ocean water with two other divers in the background.
Expeditions & Projects
Characterizing Mesophotic Fish Assemblages of Puerto Rico’s Western EEZ

News Updates

Education
NOAA Ocean Exploration Hosts Inaugural Blue Technology Education Workshop
General
New Pathways to Discovery: NOAA Ocean Exploration Publishes Data on Global Databases
Publication
Researchers Identify Dense Coral and Sponge Communities in Deep Alaskan Waters
Opportunity
Call for Input: NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer 2027 Proposed Pacific Island Operating Areas
Education
Professional Development Workshop Brings Deep-Sea Science to Palau’s Middle and High School Classrooms
Event
From Seawater to Sequences: Exploring NOAA’s New Deep‑Sea Environmental DNA Dataset

In the Field: 2026

NOAA Ocean Exploration works with partners to explore previously unknown areas of our ocean, making discoveries of scientific, economic, and cultural value and supporting innovations in exploration tools and capabilities. In 2026, we will lead and support expeditions and fieldwork in the Pacific Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Lake Michigan.

Read About These Expeditions and Projects
Featured 2025 Statistics
339,864 Square Kilometers of Seafloor Mapped
120+ Days at Sea on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer
3.2 Million Website Views
600+ Educators Trained
NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer in port in Honolulu, Hawai‘i,

Status: NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer — At Sea

From August 20 to September 17, NOAA Ocean Exploration and partners will conduct the 2026 American Samoa ROV + Mapping Exploration expedition on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer to explore deep waters in and around American Samoa. This expedition will include remotely operated vehicle dives to explore the seafloor and water column, overnight mapping operations, and continuous shore-side participation via telepresence technology.

Learn About the 2026 American Samoa ROV + Mapping Exploration Expedition
Two crew members on a ship deploy a CTD rosette system into the ocean using a crane.

Featured Favorite

The CTD-rosette system shown here during the 2022 Caribbean Mapping expedition served us well for many years, but the system on board in 2026 features a new frame and a new water sampler, which holds 24 10-liter Niskin bottles, doubling the capacity of the previous system. Another addition to the CTD-rosette system is a photosynthetically active radiation sensor that measures the intensity of sunlight available for plant life at different depths.

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