FACILITIES

The vessels managed by Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego play a critical role in exploring our planet and conducting important research in all the world's oceans.

CORDC operates a mobile lab located on the Scripps Pier. Engineers and personnel deploy instruments and small boats from the pier on a weekly basis. 

Located  in Point Loma, the six-acre MarFac campus serves as the logistical and technical support hub for Scripps's worldwide ocean research program and can berth up to 7 ships at a time. 

The SIO and MPL Machine Shops fabricate welded, machined, carpentry, etc. components for custom instrumentation and tools.

This test pool allows SIO researchers, students, and staff to test instrumentation in fresh or salt water located at Keck/OAR building on Scripps campus. 

A dedicated saltwater ballasting tank provides a controlled environment for testing and calibrating oceanographic instruments, vehicles, and sensors under realistic marine conditions before field deployment. 

This unit enables underwater vehicles, pressure housings, and critical components to be tested under simulated deep-ocean conditions before deployment. By verifying structural integrity, watertight seals, and system performance, we reduce the risk of failures during field operations.

Our dive locker provides secure storage and organization for all scuba equipment and diving tools that are used in scientific diving operations.

The Rapid Protytping Shop includes: 

• Fortus medium and large format 3D ptinters, Markforged 3D printer, Fusion3 3D printer

• Formlabs small and medium format resin printers,  Formlabs UV curing oven

• Alcohol washbasins (x2), Oryx support wash basin

• Laser cutter

The electronics shop supports the design, assembly, testing, repair, and maintenance of scientific instrumentation, sensors, and autonomous marine systems. 

The marine workspaces at CORDC provide flexible spaces for the assembly, integration, and staging of oceanographic vehicles, The facility gives researches the ability to rapidly prototype and integrate systems for peak operational readiness.