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History-Making Oceanographer and Ret. Navy Captain Dies at 92
Retired U.S. Navy Capt. Don Walsh, best known for his daring dive to the deepest spot on Earth, nearly 36,000 feet below the ocean’s surface, has died at age 92. Walsh was a co-pilot of the Trieste bathyscaphe, a deep submergence vehicle acquired by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) in 1958. Two years later, on January 23, 1960, Walsh and Swiss engineer Jacques Piccard, son of the inventor of the bathyscaphe, became the first humans to descend into the Challenger Deep, located in the Pacific Ocean’s Mariana Trench. “ONR sponsored the Trieste, but it was then-Lt. Don Walsh who made the very daring decision to make the first descent into the deepest spot of the earth’s ocean. Walsh was a Navy officer, a submariner, an adventurer, and an oceanographer. To his family, we extend our deepest condolences and gratitude for allowing him to explore, and share his extraordinary experiences and knowledge with us,” said Chief of Naval Research Rear Adm. Kurt Rothenhaus.
National Strategy on Aquatic Environmental DNA
Today, the White House Office of Science, Technology, and Policy (OSTP) released the “National Strategy for Aquatic Environmental DNA.” The Environmental DNA (eDNA) Task Team had 10 federal agencies participating in drafting the strategy and included significant scoping and engagement of the private sector, academia and non-profit organizations.
Maintenance Alert: Portable Kit Analyzes Fluids to Gauge Health of Military Vehicles
The Office of Naval Research (ONR) has sponsored the development of an integrated tool to make fluid and fuel analysis faster, easier and mobile. It’s called the Portable Fluid Analyzer Plus (PFA+).
Revolutionizing the Waves: A Breakthrough in Surf Observation Technology for Sailors and Marines
The Office of Naval Research Global TechSolutions program recently demonstrated the latest advancement in surf observation (SUROB) technology at the Technical Concept Experiment 24.2 held at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California.
Engineering Excellence: Engineers with ONR Ties Elected to Renowned Scientific Academy
Three esteemed engineers with ties to the Office of Naval Research (ONR) have been elected to the prestigious National Academy of Engineering (NAE) Class of 2025. NAE members are among the world’s most accomplished engineers from business, academia and government.
Cool Mission: ONR Aids Deployment of Data Buoys across Arctic Ocean
In January 2025, the Office of Naval Research (ONR) partnered with the 144th Airlift Squadron of the Alaska Air National Guard, the U.S. Interagency Arctic Buoy Program (USIABP) and the International Cooperative Engagement Program for Polar Research (ICE-PPR) to deploy meteorological and oceanographic buoys across more than 5,000 nautical miles of the Arctic Ocean.