"I am an explorer and mapmaker," Ballard says, continuing to push the boundaries of what is known about the 70% of our planet that lies underwater.
Served 30 years in the U.S. Navy, retiring as a Commander. Bob Ballard: An Explorer's Life
His discovery was made possible by revolutionary "telepresence" technology—unmanned, camera-equipped robots like and Jason that allowed him to see the seafloor without being physically present in a submersible. Beyond the "Rusty Old Boat" "I am an explorer and mapmaker," Ballard says,
Spent decades at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and later joined the University of Rhode Island. The Titanic and the "Secret" Mission His mission has pivoted from discovery to inspiration
Today, Ballard remains active through the and his flagship, the E/V Nautilus . His mission has pivoted from discovery to inspiration. Through Nautilus Live , students and the public can watch real-time deep-sea exploration and interact with scientists from around the globe.
In 1985, Ballard made his most famous discovery: the wreckage of the . However, the mission itself was actually a top-secret Navy project to survey two lost nuclear submarines, the USS Thresher and USS Scorpion . Only after completing the military objective was Ballard permitted to use the remaining time to search for the famous liner.