Neil Armstrong

Join the celebration

See inside one of the nation's most advanced oceanographic research vessels.

Meet scientists and crew who sail on the ship.

View underwater vehicles and other equipment used to explore the ocean.

Learn about the science and technology that is revealing new information about our planet.

Tours are free, but space is limited and available only on a first-come, first-served basis. Visitors to the ship must have a valid photo ID. Tours will last 20 minutes and require the ability to climb several flights of stairs. Please wear sensible shoes. No backpacks or strollers will be permitted on board.

Sailors for science

Neil Armstrong may be a new ship, but its crew includes many old hands. Most transferred from Knorr, a ship and crew known for their ability to get the job done, even in difficult conditions. Learn more about the different crew positions and their roles in helping ensure the success of seagoing ocean science.

• Master/Captain

  The master, or captain, has overall command of the ship and is responsible for the safety of all the scientists, crew, and passengers onboard. He or she oversees the vessel's seaworthiness, efficient operation, and navigation in compliance with all applicable laws and with WHOI policies. The captain also helps ensure the safe completion of an expedition’s scientific goals, taking into account weather, safety, and other factors.

  The ship’s officers and crew work under the direction of the captain and are divided into three departments: the deck department, whose members report to the chief mate; the engineering department, whose members report to the chief engineer; and the steward’s department, whose members report to the chief steward.

• Deck department officers

  The chief mate reports to the captain and is in charge of all operations on deck, including managing the deck crew and overseeing any cargo and scientific equipment. The chief mate also serves as the ship's medical officer and, if necessary, can contact a medical advisory service on shore where doctors are on-call around the clock.

  The second mate is the ship’s navigation officer, maintaining all navigation equipment, publications, and charts and preparing information for watch-standers on the bridge.

  The third mate is the ship's safety officer and is responsible for all lifesaving and firefighting equipment on board, including lifeboats.

  In addition, all three mates serve as deck watch officers, each overseeing two, 4-hour watch periods on the bridge every day during which she or he is in operational control of the ship.

• Deck department crew

  The bosun is the senior crewman of the deck department under the deck watch officer. He or she oversees ship maintenance, operation of scientific and deck equipment, and any over-the-side work.

  Both the able-bodied seamen (AB) and the ordinary seamen (OS) report to the bosun, maintaining deck spaces and equipment and operating machinery during scientific operations and cargo handling. The ABs also stand bridge watch, either as a lookout or as quartermaster, the person responsible for maintaining the ship’s course when it is underway.

• Engineering officers

  The chief engineer reports to the ship's captain and is the officer in charge of the engineering department. She or he manages all engineering personnel and oversees the operation, maintenance, and safety of the ship’s propulsion and other systems.

  The first, second, and third assistant engineers report to the chief engineer and assist with the operation and maintenance of the ship’s systems. All three serve as engineering watch officers, which involves standing watch in the engine room and overseeing the proper functioning of the ship’s propulsion system.

• Engineering crew

  The electrician reports to the chief engineer or first assistant engineer and assists with the operation, maintenance, and repair of electrical equipment and systems on the ship. He or she also assists members of the science party in using shipboard power for their research instruments.

  The oilers report to the engineering watch officer (first, second, or third assistant engineer) and assist with the operation, maintenance and repair of equipment. A traditional part of the oiler’s job involves lubricating—or oiling—the moving parts of the propulsion engines and auxiliary equipment.

• Steward's Department

  The steward's department consists of a chief steward, who reports to the master, and a cook and mess attendant, who report to the chief steward. The chief steward is in charge of the galley, where food is prepared, and the mess, where it is served, as well as laundry, linens, supplies, and other areas that affect the comfort and habitability of the ship for its crew and science party. The cook prepares three meals a day and provides food for night watch-standers. The mess attendant assists the cook, serves meals, and cleans the galley and mess deck.

• Shipboard Technicians

  Technicians with WHOI's Shipboard Scientific Services Group (SSSG) provide scientific technical support to help the science party meet their research objectives. They maintain, repair, and assist in the operation of the general-use research equipment on the ship, including computer networks, ship sensors, satellite communications, water sampling systems, and over-the-side instrumentation and handling systems. They also provide assistance in cruise preparations, frequently serving as the interface between the ship's agent, crew, local contractors, and the science party.

More about the ship

» R/V Neil Armstrong main page

» Where is R/V Neil Armstrong now?

» R/V Neil Armstrong blog: From the Fantail

» From Oceanus magazine

» WHOI News Releases

» R/V Neil Armstrong in the news

R/V Neil Armstrong is owned by the U.S. Navy and operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution through the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System for the benefit of the entire ocean science community.

She’s a vessel with a heart of steel and a mission to expand the bounds of knowledge.

Kali Armstrong, granddaughter of Neil Armstrong