The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) is a private, non-profit oceanographic research center founded in 1987. While not directly involved in space missions, MBARI develops advanced marine technology, including autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), for deep-sea exploration and research. NASA has funded MBARI projects to develop and test technologies that could be used to explore extreme environments in deep space, seeking signs of extraterrestrial life. MBARI partners with organizations like the Monterey Bay Aquarium and NOAA, and is primarily funded by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
The LRAUV deployed on Lake Erie is operated by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute and will travel at depths of 5 to 15 m.