Day Mission News

University of South Florida (USF) Associate Professor Joseph Dituri has broken the world record for living underwater, previously set at 73 days.Dituri is studying how the human body responds to long-term exposure to pressure from an underwater habitat located at Jules’ Undersea Lodge in Key Largo where he’s been living since March 1.His 100-square-foot underwater home has subjected him to an isolated and extreme-confined environment. With this new record, Dituri's officially reached uncharted territory for science, and he hopes his research may have far-reaching impacts, even in space.

Eric Chewning, former chief of staff to the U.S. Secretary of Defense and deputy assistant secretary for industrial policy, is joining HII as executive vice president, Strategy & Development, reporting directly to HII President and CEO Chris Kastner. Chewning assumes the role on Jan. 30.Chewning joins HII as it grows its customer set across the armed forces and executes on its significant shipbuilding backlog for its primary customer, the U.S. Navy. HII is the nation’s only builder of aircraft carriers and its largest military shipbuilder…

A seven-meter (23-foot) long, wind-powered unmanned surface vehicle (USV) called a saildrone has become the first unmanned system to circumnavigate Antarctica.The vehicle, known as SD 1020, was equipped with a suite of climate-grade sensors and collected data in previously unchartered waters, enabling new key insights into ocean and climate processes.The 196-day mission was launched from Southport in Bluff, New Zealand, on January 19, 2019, returning to the same port on August 3 after sailing over 22,000 km (13,670 miles) around Antarctica. During the mission, the vehicle survived freezing temperatures, 15-meter (50-foot) waves, 130 km/h (80 mph) winds…

Rudy Teichman, a legend in the U.S. marine salvage industry, founded T&T in 1957, now one of the world’s largest international salvage companies. In a sense, Rudy was larger than life and one who was often referred to as a “force of nature.” He was an entrepreneur, inventor, salvor, deep sea diver, airplane pilot, licensed mariner, restaurateur, musician, philanthropist, mechanic, machinist, politician, and husband, father and grandfather. And, in spite all of his accomplishments, he was more importantly a man of character, hard work and integrity, in a time when your word was your contract.

On Veteran’s Day this year, T&T Subsea divers worked to help save the Battleship Texas, the over 100-year-old U.S. naval vessel and historic landmark ship of Texas launched in 1912 that fought in both World Wars. T&T Subsea, the Teichman Group’s dedicated commercial diving company, was founded by U.S. Army veteran and salvage industry legend Rudy Teichman. Today, the T&T Subsea team consists of U.S. military veterans and divers from the U.S. Marines, U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard with over 60-years combined military service. T&T Subsea was hand-selected by the State of Texas to salvage, repair and maintain the historic battleship and…

Late last night, SUNY Maritime College alumnus Scott Kelly, ’87, felt Earth’s gravity for the first time in nearly a year. The astronaut safely landed in Kazakhstan after plummeting hundreds of miles to Earth from the International Space Station with Russian astronaut Mikhail Kornienko. The two have spent more than 11 months on the International Space Station to determine the effect of extended amounts of time in space on the human body. “All of us at SUNY Maritime are thrilled to have Scott back on Earth…

In a bid to protect cargo ships and oil tankers in international waters, the Iranian Navy’s 33rd fleet of warships departed for the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea on Sunday, says Tasnim News Agency. The naval fleet consists of Vice-Admiral Qandi destroyer, Bandar Abbas logistic-combat warship and Tareq submarine. The 33rd fleet is scheduled to sail across northern parts of the Indian Ocean, southern waters of India and Sri Lanka, the Strait of Malacca and the South China Sea. Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said the 33rd fleet is expected to provide security for both Iranian and foreign vessels in the shipping lines of the high seas, and added that navy cadets will also receive necessary training on the voyage.

Adm. Mark Ferguson, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, visited U.S. Naval Support Activity (NSA) Souda Bay, his first visit since taking command in July. Ferguson visited Souda Bay to thank Sailors stationed there for supporting forward deployed naval forces and to strengthen the enduring partnership with Hellenic Navy counterparts. “You represent the United States Navy and the United States to the people of Crete and to Greece. I want to thank you for how you conduct yourselves and how you represent our country,” said Ferguson during an all hands call. During the all hands call, Ferguson imparted on Sailors the importance of their mission in Souda.

During the 70th observance of D-Day, 10,000 surviving World War II American merchant marines, the International Organization of Masters, Mates and Pilots and U.S. Representative G.K. Butterfield will be pressing the Senate to pass legislation giving these veterans benefits they were promised but have been denied for decades. According to MM&P, a few weeks before the D-Day anniversary, on May 22, 2014, the U.S. House of Representatives approved H.R. 4435 – the Defense Authorization Act.

Today in U.S. Naval History - February 5 1854 - Dedication of first chapel built on Navy property, Annapolis, Md. 1941 - Chief Nurse Marion B. Olds and Nurse Leona Jackson, Navy, arrive on Guam. 1971 - Moonwalk by Capt. Alan B. Shepherd, Jr. USN, Commander of Apollo 14 and CDR Edgar D. Mitchell, USN Lunar Module Pilot. During the 9 day mission, 94 lbs of lunar material was collected and Shepard became the first person to hit a golf ball on the moon. Recovery was by helicopter from USS New Orleans (LPH-11). For more information about naval history, visit the Naval History and Heritage Command website at history.navy.mil.

China's manned submersible 'Jiaolong', aboard its support ship 'Xiangyanghong-9', leaves Jiangyin on a marine science expedition. During the 103-day mission, the submersible will submerge for scientific research in the South China Sea, the northeast Pacific Ocean and the west Pacific. Jiaolong set a new dive record after reaching 7,062 meters deep in the Pacific Ocean's Mariana Trench in June 2012, demonstrating China's ability to conduct deep-sea scientific research and resource exploration in 99.8 percent of the world's oceans.

Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime, Yury Fedotov summed up his advice at the conclusion of his East Africa visit. During the visit to East Africa, the UNODC Chief discussed counter-piracy efforts with heads of state and ministers, met with local counter-piracy and organized crime experts, and inspected prisons, and a training academy. "If we are to counter piracy, we must break-up the criminal groups, identify and isolate the ringleaders and financiers, and disrupt their cash shipments through coordinated police and border work. UNODC's role is to support the criminal justice chain. We also recognize that there is no piracy without pirates.

FuelCell Energy Inc. awarded US$3.8-million contract by U.S. Navy to develop power system for unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV). FuelCell Energy, Inc., a leading manufacturer of fuel cell power plants, announce a US$3.8-million contract award from the U.S. Navy to develop and test a Hybrid Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC)-Battery power system for large displacement undersea vehicle propulsion. The objective of the project is to develop a refuelable power system, with high energy density, that is suitable for undertaking long duration underwater missions of unmanned submersibles. The Hybrid SOFC-Battery system will be capable of generating 1,800 kilowatt hours of electricity during a 70 day mission with no exhaust discharged outside of the vehicle at any time.

China's icebreaker Xuelong, or "Snow Dragon", returned to its Shanghai base after completing the country's 28th Antarctic expedition. Xuelong, an A-2 class icebreaker capable of breaking ice 1.2 meters thick, left the port of Tianjin on Nov. 3, 2011, and covered an estimated 28,000 nautical miles over the 163-day mission. During the expedition, Xuelong delivered supplies to the country's Antarctic stations, and scientists aboard conducted various scientific research tasks, including polar environmental survey and the installation of an Antarctica survey telescope.

1952 - USS Iowa bombards Chongjin, Korea. 1973 - Launch of Skylab 2 mission, which was first U.S. manned orbiting space station. It had an all Navy crew of CAPT Charles Conrad, Jr., USN. (commanding), CDR Joseph P. Kerwin, USN and CDR Paul J. Weitz, USN. During the 28 day mission of 404 orbits, the craft rendezvoused with Skylab to make repairs and conduct science experiments. Recovery by USS Ticonderoga (CVS-14) (Source: Navy News Service)

1846 - First visit of U.S. warships (USS Columbus and USS Vincennes) to Japan is unsuccessful in negotiating a treaty. 1960 - In first launch of Polaris missile, USS George Washington (SSBN 598) successfully fires 2 operational Polaris missiles while submerged off Florida. 1964 - Four Navy divers enter Project SEALAB I capsule moored 192 feet on the ocean floor off Bermuda for 11 day experiment. 1969 - Former Navy pilot Neil Armstrong is first man to set foot on the moon. While taking the first step, he said, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." Armstrong was Commander of Apollo 11 which during its 8 day mission landed on the Sea of Tranquility. Recovery was by HS-4 helicopters from USS Hornet (CVS-12). (Source: Navy News Service)

1952-When SS Foundation Star sent a distress signal that she was in rough seas and in danger of breaking in half, four Coast Guard vessels and three commercial vessels proceed to her assistance and rescued the crew before the ship broke apart and sank. 2000-LCDR Daniel C. Burbank became the second Coast Guard astronaut to fly on a Shuttle mission (he had been selected by NASA for astronaut training in 1996). He flew as a mission specialist on NASA flight STS-106 aboard the space shuttle Atlantis (September 8-20, 2000). During the 12-day mission, the crew successfully prepared the International Space Station for the arrival of the first permanent crew.

It’s been called everything from the Graveyard of the Atlantic to Torpedo Junction. By whatever name, the seas off the coast of North Carolina during World War II were the site of a devastating period for the United States, during which dozens of ships—mostly merchant vessels—were sunk by German U-Boats. Today, the remains of those ships, along with several U-Boats, rest at the bottom of the Atlantic. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimates that from January to August 1942, more than 50 vessels were lost to the U-Boat assault.

As Director of Innovation, Dr. Larry Schuette is one of three portfolio directors at the Office of Naval Research (ONR). His counterparts are the director of research (discovery and invention) and director of transition. The Office of Innovation promotes, fosters, and develops innovative science, technology, processes and policies that support the Department of the Navy. “I manage the ‘leap ahead’ portfolio here at the Office of Naval Research,” he says. Schuette leads both technological innovation in as well as the business of innovation.

1846 - First visit of U.S. warships (USS Columbus and USS Vincennes) to Japan is unsuccessful in negotiating a treaty. 1960 - In first launch of Polaris missile, USS George Washington (SSBN 598) successfully fires 2 operational Polaris missiles while submerged off Florida. 1964 - Four Navy divers enter Project SEALAB I capsule moored 192 feet on the ocean floor off Bermuda for 11 day experiment. 1969 - Former Navy pilot Neil Armstrong is first man to set foot on the moon. While taking the first step, he said, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." Armstrong was Commander of Apollo 11 which during its 8 day mission landed on the Sea of Tranquility. Recovery was by HS-4 helicopters from USS Hornet (CVS-12). (Source: Navy News Service)

1952-When SS Foundation Star sent a distress signal that she was in rough seas and in danger of breaking in half, four Coast Guard vessels and three commercial vessels proceed to her assistance and rescued the crew before the ship broke apart and sank. 2000-LCDR Daniel C. Burbank became the second Coast Guard astronaut to fly on a Shuttle mission (he had been selected by NASA for astronaut training in 1996). He flew as a mission specialist on NASA flight STS-106 aboard the space shuttle Atlantis (September 8-20, 2000). During the 12-day mission, the crew successfully prepared the International Space Station for the arrival of the first permanent crew.

1854 - Dedication of first chapel built on Navy property, Annapolis, MD 1941 - Chief Nurse Marion B. Olds and Nurse Leona Jackson, Navy, arrive on Guam. 1971 - Moonwalk by CAPT Alan B. Shepherd, Jr. USN, Commander of Apollo 14 and CDR Edgar D. Mitchell, USN Lunar Module Pilot. During the 9 day mission, 94 lbs of lunar material was collected and Shepard became the first person to hit a golf ball on the moon. Recovery was by helicopter from USS New Orleans (LPH-11). (Source: Navy News Service)

1775 - Benedict Arnold captures British sloop and renames her Enterprise, first of many famous ships with that name 1798 - Appointment of Benjamin Stoddert as first Secretary of the Navy 1969 - Launch of Apollo 10, dress rehearsal for first lunar landing mission. CDR John W. Young, USN, was the Command Module Pilot and CDR Eugene A. Cernan, USN, was the Lunar Module Pilot. During the 8 Day mission, the craft made 31 lunar orbits in 61.6 hours. Recovery was by HS-4 helicopters from USS Princeton (LPH-5). (Source: Naval News Service)