Today’s Voyages and Oceanography

Modern Oceanography

From when the German survey vessel Meteor made its 1925 soundings of the Atlantic Ocean seafloor, to the planned launch of NASA's latest satellite Aquarius, this topic highlights the frenzy with which nations around the globe have taken to the seas and the skies in the quest for oceanographic knowledge. In this interactivity, you will learn about the voyage to the deepest point on Earth and the satellites high in space that can pinpoint someone's location from anywhere on the globe. Click the player button to get started.

View a printable version of this interactivity.

Today's Voyages and Oceanography Review

After viewing the interactivity in this topic, take a few moments to explore other types of satellites used in oceanography. Visit your school or local library, or do an Internet search on oceanography satellites. Consider if you were asked to design a new type of satellite.

• What would be its mission?
• What kind of data would it collect?
• What might it look like?
• What orbit will it follow?