Take a Tour of the Most Tricked-Out Science Ship in America

[Narrator] Welcome aboard the newest, shiniest, swankiest

research vessel in the United States the Sally Ride.

Named after the first American woman in space,

this 238 foot ship will take Oceanic Science

into a new era of high-tech exploration.

So let's take a tour, shall we?

Sally Ride has four, massive diesel generators.

That provide electricity to both power and propel the ship.

But it's oddly quiet.

That's thanks largely to specially designed propellers.

It's the quietest ship that any of

our crew have ever sailed on.

And one of the reasons that's very important

is that a lot of the things that we do

in the ocean depend on being able to measure sound.

[Narrator] That means scientists can better

listen for life and even earthquakes in the deep.

The ship is loaded with all sorts of sensors

that will allow scientists to measure things

like salinity and collect tiny plankton.

They'll also precisely monitor fluctuations

in ocean temperature.

Consider that 90% of the heat

associated with global warming is in the ocean.

How that's distributed in the ocean.

And the impact on the ocean and its circulation

and everything that lives in the ocean, is

one of the major questions of Oceanography today.

[Narrator] Because the Sally Ride has to

work in exact locations and often rough seas,

she'll actually adjust her position on her own.

So we have the latest of what's called

Dynamic Positioning, we can hold the ship

to the same spot on the globe with respect

to the best GPS that's available.

We can hold the ship in place,

on the sphere of the earth, to one meter.

[Narrator] To retrieve their devices,

scientists will deploy a huge crane.

This thing is fancy.

It can automatically let out and reel in line,

as the ship bobs in rough seas.

Sadly though, the Sally Ride can't do anything

about that seasickness of yours.

So bring the Dramamine.