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What’s In a Name?

Although not yet officially christened, R/V Neil Armstrong recently received its name at the shipyard where it is under construction, in Anacortes, Washington. The 238-foot ship, scheduled to launch in 2014, is the first Ocean Class research vessel in the fleet operated by the University National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS).  Named for the U.S. Navy Officer whose “small step” on the moon provided humanity with a new perspective on our planet, the Armstrong will carry on its namesake’s legacy of exploration, beginning in 2015.(Photo by Gary McGrath, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)