Nancy Foster, a NOAA Research Ship, stopped in the Port of St. Petersburg. It came to pick up Odysseus, a remote operated vehicle (ROV). They departed for a two-week mission to capture high depth images and samples of deep sea corals. Odysseus will drop to depths of 3,280 feet to take photos and collect samples just off our coast. Congrats to NOAA and Pelagic Research Services, the team behind Odysseus.
What's next for launching rockets into space? Launching rockets from the sea. With limited land availability and significant costs, companies like Seagate Space see a game-changing solution in developing offshore launchpads. There is also a sense of urgency as other countries have included offshore infrastructure as part of their space strategy. Seagate Space and The Spaceport Company are positioned to lead the way for Florida in this new frontier.
The St. Petersburg Ocean Team is the premier consortium for marine science and related research, education and entrepreneurship in the Southeast. The Team is comprised of over 20 complementary firms, government entities, and institutions that are located near one another, many in the St. Pete Innovation District, that draw advantages from their proximity as well as the similarities between their workforce and vendor needs.
April’s Tech X-change was a hit, thanks to an engaging presentation from Digital Twin Marine. Shoutout to all the Eckerd College students who joined us! The audience was curious and interactive, asking great questions and eager to try out the virtual reality headset.