Follow the journey of America’s newest research vessel, R/V Sally Ride, down the West Coast as it makes its way home to San Diego, Calif in a new video. The vessel is expected to begin regular research cruises in November 2016 but before that, free public tours of the vessel will be offered on Sunday, Oct. 30, from 12-4 p.m. at the Broadway Pier in downtown San Diego.
Owned by the U.S. Navy and operated by Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego, the 238-foot state-of-the-art ship is one of the most technologically advanced oceanographic research vessels in the world. R/V Sally Ride's primary objective is to investigate the workings of Earth’s oceans and atmosphere to help address some of the planet’s most pressing environmental challenges. The ship will host researchers who pursue new solutions to issues such as climate change impacts and adaptation, human health, and environmental hazards such as earthquakes and tsunamis.
The vessel is named in honor of the late Sally Ride, the first American woman in space as part of NASA’s Space Shuttle Challenger crew, and member of UC San Diego’s physics faculty.
Scripps Associate Director Bruce Appelgate said the vessel will be undergoing a series of science verification cruises in the next several weeks and will continue to be outfitted with equipment through the next year. The vessel is currently at sea on a verification cruise being led by Scripps oceanographer William Hodgkiss.
Find out more about its adventures at the vessel’s website.
– Robert Monroe
Related Video: R/V Sally Ride Comes Home to San Diego