On 20 August, 2026 two large-scale research expeditions are beginning in the Pacific Ocean almost simultaneously.
E/V Nautilus is setting off for the remote Wake Atoll, and NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer is heading to the waters of American Samoa.
Each mission has its own route and specific scientific objectives. But together, they create an amazing picture:
humanity is casting two research gazes at once into the almost unknown Ocean.
Wake: land on the edge of the unexplored
Wake Atoll is located in the central part of the Pacific Ocean—approximately 4000 kilometers west-southwest of Hawaii and 2400 kilometers northwest of Guam.
Its land area is only about 6,5 square kilometer. But the surrounding marine area is vast: the greater part of the 407 241 square kilometers of seafloor remains unmapped and almost unexplored.
Abyssal plains, seamounts, and deep-sea communities that humans have never directly observed before may be located here.
During the 30-day expedition—from 20 August to 18 September —the team Ocean Exploration Trust will use:
- the deep-sea vehicle Hercules,
- the vehicle Atalanta, which provides its connection to the ship;
- multibeam sonar mapping systems;
- cameras and instruments for studying organisms and collecting samples;
- telepresence technology.
Hercules is designed to operate at depths of up to 4000 meters. It is equipped with manipulators, sensors, samplers, and high-resolution cameras.
The expedition will explore abyssal habitats, unknown seamounts, and potential maritime heritage sites associated with the Battle of Wake Island during World War II.
But something else is particularly exciting:
in this area, there are still mountains that we have never seen.
Instruments that will continue to listen
During the expedition, the team will also deploy several biogeochemical buoys of the international system Argo.
After the departure of Nautilus they will continue to move through the water column, dive, rise to the surface, and transmit information about the state of the Ocean.
Thus, the expedition will leave behind not only maps and video recordings, but also new points of continuous observation. The ship will depart. And the instruments will continue to listen to the breath of the Ocean.
American Samoa: a look through the water column
The second expedition will last from 20 August to 17 September on board the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer.
Researchers will study deep-sea areas around American Samoa using remotely operated vehicles, mapping systems, and sensors.
Their focus is directed not only at the seafloor, but also at the water column—the vast living space between the surface and the depths, which often remains beyond observation.
The data obtained will help to better understand:
- the geological history of the region;
- the structure of deep-sea habitats;
- the distribution of marine organisms;
- the physical and chemical properties of the water column;
- the location of important mineral resources.
Scientists thousands of kilometers away from the ship will be able to connect to the work via satellite link, discuss what they see, and participate in research planning in near real-time. The ship is in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
But the space of the expedition no longer ends at its sides.
Light touching the unknown for the first time
When a deep-sea vehicle descends several kilometers, its floodlights illuminate only a small part of the surrounding darkness.
The image that appears on the screen may be the first human glimpse of this part of the planet. Not because the place has just come into existence.
It has existed for millions of years. Seamounts formed over geological epochs, sediments slowly accumulated, and animals were born, hunted, and vanished without human observation. The vehicle does not create this reality.
It changes the boundaries of our perception, allowing the unknown to enter human experience.
When a beam of light touches the unexplored, it becomes part of our shared history.
From a camera on the bottom to thousands of eyes
The video signal from the cameras of Hercules travels up the fiber-optic cable through the Atalanta vehicle to the control center on board the Nautilus.
From there, the image is transmitted to shore—to scientists, students, and viewers all over the world.
Experts from different countries can simultaneously discuss what they see and provide their recommendations to the team on the ship. And every person who tunes into the broadcast becomes a witness to the exploration at the very moment it happens.
Several kilometers of water cease to be an insurmountable barrier.
The vehicle descends into the depths. But with it, human perception descends as well.
What is the Ocean telling us?
These expeditions are necessary not only to fill in the blank spots on maps.
They serve as a reminder of the boundaries of our knowledge.
We are capable of observing galaxies located billions of light-years from Earth, yet we continue to discover seamounts and biological communities on our own planet.
Today, the Ocean seems to be opening two portals.
One near Wake Atoll. The other near American Samoa.
Beyond them, there are no ready-made answers yet. There is immense depth, darkness, and the opportunity to see what previously did not fit into the human picture of the world.
The Ocean does not become new at the moment of discovery. It is our perception of the Ocean that becomes new.
One dive for the entire planet
Once, an ocean expedition remained a closed journey for a small team. People on shore would learn about the discoveries made months later—from scientific reports, photographs, and publications.
Now, satellite communications, deep-sea cameras, and telepresence technology allow for the transmission of images and the voices of researchers directly from the Ocean in real-time.
We are no longer just reading about the expedition. We are diving together.
Technology here does not separate man from nature. It helps to expand perception and feel a connection with that part of the Earth which previously remained almost inaccessible.
Perhaps this is how a new unity with the Ocean begins: not with a desire to subdue or use it, but with a readiness to watch, listen, and learn together.
Two ships set out into the Pacific Ocean.
Two routes lead into the depths.
But this is no longer just a journey for researchers.
The Ocean invites all of humanity to dive together—and for the first time, we have the technology to answer its invitation together.
