The NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer: " Live"...to Scientists and Educators Ashore

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will commission a ship of exploration, the NOAA ship Okeanos Explorer, the only Federal vessel dedicated to exploring our largely unknown ocean. The vessel will provide ocean explorers with a new cutting-edge capability in that it is designed to operate under the command of mission scientists working from shore-based "exploration command centers" using telepresence. This paper discusses the vision for science, ocean literacy, presents ideas discussed for the ship's maiden voyage, plans for workshops to discuss ocean literacy efforts, and provides a brief overview of the ship's status to date.