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Nancy Foster, the most productive mapping platform in the World, was originally built as a Navy yard torpedo test (YTT) craft. In 2001, the Navy transferred the vessel to NOAA who outfitted the ship to conduct coastal research along the U.S. Atlantic/Gulf coasts, and the Caribbean. Nancy Foster is named for Dr. Nancy Foster, in tribute to her outstanding contributions in advancing NOAA’s mission through her leadership within the National Marine Fisheries Service and National Ocean Service from 1986 until 2000.

Nancy Foster supports applied research for the NOAA National Ocean Service's Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, the NOAA Oceanic and Atmospheric Research's Office of Ocean Exploration, and the National Sea Grant College Program. Operations include the characterization of various habitats in NOAA's National Marine Sanctuaries, pollution assessments, and studies to improve understanding of the connection between marine habitats and estuaries. Nancy Foster's mission supports scientific data collection through bottom fish trawling, sediment sampling, side-scan sonar and multi-beam surveying, sub-bottom profiling, core sampling, diving with air and NITROX, ROV operations, and servicing oceanographic/atmospheric surface and subsurface buoys. The vessel employs state of the art navigation and propulsion systems resulting in high quality and efficient data collection.

Nancy Foster's E-mail address is:

Nancy Foster's Mailing address is:

NOAA Ship Nancy Foster
Marine Operations Center, Atlantic
439 West York Street
Norfolk, VA 23510-1145

Nancy Foster's Telephone Numbers

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•  Updated: October 19, 2009