The Okeanos Explorer is the only NOAA ship to have a dedicated ROV. Although ROV’s have been used on other NOAA ships, they are typically removed at the end of a mission. Having a permanent ROV makes it easier to deploy at any time throughout the field season. On the Okeanos Explorer, there is an integrated control room for operating the ROV and run telepresence communication. Having the screens and computers permanently wired to the ship makes it more efficient to sustain long-term exploration in remote areas of the world.

Not knowing what the ship will encounter, it is impossible to prepare a scientific compliment for every possible discovery. Instead, the ship will be capable of sending video, voice and other data to scientists ashore so that they may follow the cruise from a “command center”. The Exploration Command Centers are located around the country, with a communication’s hub located at the University Rhode Island, known as the Inner Space Center. Currently, other centers are located at NOAA’s facility at the Western Regional Center in Seattle, WA, NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration and Research and NOAA Ocean Explorer web site in Silver Spring, MD and the University of New Hampshire’s Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping.

Although the ship may be thousands of miles away, the scientists standing “watch” at the centers will be able to guide the ship through its mission. Images from the seafloor can also go live into classrooms, newsrooms, and living rooms through high speed internet. The ability to bring these products directly to people around the world will raise awareness, and hopefully get kids enthusiastic to learn about the ocean.