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Open for Exploration

In June, the new research vessel Neil Armstrong opened to the public for guided tours as part of a day of activities to welcome the ship to its home port in Woods Hole. The ship’s namesake was not only the first astronaut to walk on the moon, he was also a naval aviator and test pilot. For many, the name Neil Armstrong is synonymous with exploration. And just as Armstrong the astronaut broke boundaries exploring space, the ship named for him will do the same for scientists exploring the ocean, expanding our understanding of one of the Earth’s last great frontiers. Here, Neil Armstrong’s son Rick (center) talks with visitors on the ship’s bridge, as second mate Mike Singleton (left) looks on.

(Photo by Véronique LaCapra, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)