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.

Ocean Science for Everyone
For Educators
Multimedia

Highlights

Expeditions and Projects
A crew monitors a white NOAA Ocean Exploration ROV suspended by a crane over a ship deck.

Exploration Season Begins: Inside the ROV Shakedown

Exploring the mysterious depths of our ocean requires cutting-edge technology that must work perfectly under extreme conditions, which is why every exploration season begins with a rigorous test run.
NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer in port in Honolulu, Hawai‘i,
Expeditions and Projects
OECI On Board for Okeanos Explorer’s 2026 Field Season
June calendar page featuring a translucent pink deep-sea holothurian floating against a black water background with the NOAA Ocean Exploration emblem.
Wallpaper Calendar
June Desktop Wallpaper Calendar

News Updates

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
General
From Data to Discovery: Unlocking Ocean Secrets With eDNA
Discovery
Scientists Reveal Identity of Mysterious ‘Golden Orb’ Collected During NOAA Expedition
Event
Watch Live: Expedition to Advance Deep-Sea Coral Restoration
Publication
New Research Helps Show How Depth Affects Fish Distribution

By the Numbers: 2025 In Review

In 2025, NOAA Ocean Exploration led and supported expeditions to enable scientific discovery; tested and supported the development of new and emerging technologies; shared our work with a variety of audiences; strengthened our network of partners; and more.

View Our 2025 Annual Report
Featured 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

NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer is in port in Honolulu, Hawai‘i, following the 2026 ROV Shakedown (EX2603) expedition. The 2026 Pacific Islands Mapping (EX2604) expedition will begin on June 16.

Learn About NOAA Ocean Exploration’s 2026 Field Season

Featured Favorite

This unusual purple octocoral in the family Plexauridae was observed at a depth of 1,368 meters (4,488 feet) during Dive 09 of the 2021 North Atlantic Stepping Stones expedition. During the dive, we also saw at least five species of black corals, a bamboo coral in the genus Acanella, and two other species of octocoral.

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