Return to Titanic,This period photography shows Captain Edward J. Smith, commander of the ill-fated Titanic.
Return to Titanic,In the control van, Institute for Exploration ROV pilots Mark DeRoche (left) and Dave Lovalvo go through their pre-dive check-ups.
Return to Titanic,In the control van on the deck of NOAA research vessel Ronald H. Brown Dr. Robert Ballard (foreground) and NOAA Capt. Craig McLean view the Titanic shipwreck.
Return to Titanic,Hercules, one of the Titanic expedition's ROVs.
Return to Titanic,Drawn on a 1987 mosaic (originally published in National Geographic Magazine) of the bow section of the Titanic are many small boxes.
Return to Titanic,NOAA bosun Bruce Cowden leaning on the ROV Argus next to his carved "good luck" Tiki dolls strapped to the ROV frame.
Return to Titanic,Commemorative plaque left by Robert D. Ballard and the Explorers Club divers in 1986 on the sunken deck of Titanic.
Return to Titanic,The shoes of a Titanic victim are photographed in a debris field near the stern of the ship June 6, 2004 by the ROV Hercules.
Return to Titanic,Photo from Dr. Ballard's expedition to the Titanic in 1986 u2014 rust forms on the bow of the ship.
Return to Titanic,In the control van, Institute for Exploration ROV pilots Dave Wright (left) and Dave Lovalvo go through their pre-dive check-ups.
Return to Titanic,The rusted prow of the Titanic that sunk in the North Atlantic Ocean after hitting an iceberg.
Return to Titanic,Two port side bits and a falling railing, near the bow of the Titanic.
Return to Titanic,NOAA bosun Bruce Cowden holds one of his carved "good luck" Tiki dolls strapped to the ROV frame.
Return to Titanic,The bow of the Titanic.
Return to Titanic,NOAA research ship Ronald H. Brown.
Return to Titanic,Dr. Robert Ballard (in yellow jacket) stands on the deck of of the NOAA research vessel Ronald H. Brown during the afternoon launching of the ROV Hercules.
Return to Titanic,Dr. Robert Ballard (in yellow jacket) has reached the site of the Titanic shipwreck and will begin photographing and mapping the site by nightfall.
Return to Titanic,Dr. Robert Ballard completes a handmade puzzle of the Titanic created by Mark Cappitella and presented to Dr. Ballard before departing.
Return to Titanic,Dr. Robert Ballard (in yellow jacket) stands on the deck of of the NOAA research vessel Ronald H. Brown on June 1, 2004, during the afternoon launching of the ROV Hercules.
Return to Titanic,A haunting memento, the watch was recovered from the floating body of a victim on April 23, 1912, a week after the Titanic sank and indicates that the hour hand stood just short of two o'clock when the watch stopped.
Return to Titanic,IFE engineer Dave Wright puts the finishing touches on the repaired tether cable between the ROV Hercules and Argus just before the ROVs began their four-hour descent to the Titanic wreckage.
Return to Titanic,Institute for Exploration engineer Todd Gregory makes final adjustments on the remotely operated vehicle Hercules which is sailing toward the wreck site of the Titanic.
Return to Titanic,Microbiologist Dr.Roy Cullimore holds a rusticle experiment station on June 2, 2004, brought up from the wreck of the Titanic in the ROV Hercules "bio box."
Return to Titanic,Dr. Robert Ballard (in yellow jacket) has reached the site of the Titanic shipwreck and will begin photographing and mapping the site by nightfall.
Return to Titanic,Dr. Robert Ballard (in yellow jacket) has reached the site of the Titanic shipwreck and will begin photographing and mapping the site by nightfall.
Return to Titanic,Now lacking the wooden ship's wheel, the bronze telemotor on the bridge once operated the steering gear of the Titanic.
Return to Titanic,NOAA Ens. Silas Ayers takes down the ship's flag to raise a new flag to half-mast in honor of the late president Ronald Reagan.
Return to Titanic,IFE engineer Dave Lavalvo removes a rusticle experiment station on June 2, 2004 from the ROV Hercules "bio box," and hands it to microbiologist Dr. Roy Cullimore.
Return to Titanic,The port side forward expansion joint on the boat deck (in the vicinity of the officer's lavatory) of the bow section of the shipwreck Titanic.
Return to Titanic,IFE engineers control the movements of the Argus and Hercules ROVs as they maneuver through the wreckage of the Titanic on May 31, 2004.
Return to Titanic,Dr. Robert Ballard discusses expedition strategy with the IFE and NOAA crews in the sonar lab onboard NOAA ship Ronald H. Brown May 27, 2004.
Return to Titanic,Dr. Robert Ballard applies the finishing touches to the recently repaired tether connecting ROV Hercules to the towed camera sled Argus.
Return to Titanic,First class cabins in the Titanic appear undamaged even after eight decades underwater.
Return to Titanic,IFE engineer Brennan Phillips (foreground) stands along the railing of the NOAA research vessel Ronald H. Brown.
Return to Titanic,Dr. Robert Ballard stands on the deck of the Ronald H. Brown on May 30, 2004, just prior to launching his two ROVs Hercules and Argus.
Return to Titanic,Dr. Robert Ballard joins his crew of engineers as they repair the damaged tether on the ROV Hercules.
Return to Titanic,IFE's Mark DeRoche on the NOAA research vessel Ronald H. Brown relaunches the Hercules ROV late May 31, 2004.
Return to Titanic,IFE's Mark DeRoche (center) and Brennan Phillips (kneeling) on the Ronald H. Brown loosen the tie-down straps to relaunch the ROV Argus.
Return to Titanic,IFE engineer Mark DeRoche (right) and Dr. Robert Ballard with the ROV Hercules that was brought to the surface for repairs.
Return to Titanic,Dr. Robert Ballard stands over plot maps of the Titanic shipreck and discusses expedition strategy with the IFE and NOAA crews in the sonar lab.
Return to Titanic,Dr. Robert Ballard stands on the deck of of the Ronald H. Brown on May 31, 2004, looking at a threatening sky just prior to launching of the ROV Hercules.
Return to Titanic,The collapsed promenade deck (window at left) with the boat deck above, rests on the port side, forward section of the Titanic.
Return to Titanic,Bow railing of the Titanic illuminated by the Mir 1 submersible behind the forward anchor crane and the slant of the rusticles show the direction of the current.
Return to Titanic,Dr. Robert Ballard watches the submerged ROVs maneuver around the Titanic shipwreck, on screens in the control van on the deck of the Ronald H. Brown.
Return to Titanic,Exploring the Titanic's hulk, a robot camera-equipped submersible called Jason Jr. peers into a first-class cabin.
Return to Titanic,A door handle resting on the seafloor near the stern of the Titanic.
Return to Titanic,Hercules, one of the Titanic expedition's ROVs.
Return to Titanic,The shoes of a Titanic victim are photographed in a debris field near the stern of the ship June 6, 2004 by the ROV Hercules.
Return to Titanic,Captain Edward J. Smith's cabin window in the Titanic hangs open with the lights of the Russian research submersible Mir 2 glow beyond.
Return to Titanic,Capt. Craig McLean, Director of NOAA-Ocean Exploration stands in front of remotely operated vehicle Little Herc and discusses NOAA's participation in the Titanic revisit led by Dr. Robert Ballard.
Return to Titanic,The enclosed promenade beneath the boat deck of the port side bow section of the Titanic and the rusticles hang from openings that used to hold windows (left).
Return to Titanic,In the control van on the deck of NOAA research vessel Dr. Robert Ballard (background) and NOAA Capt. Craig McLean view the deck of the Titanic shipwreck's bow section.
Return to Titanic,A smiling Dr. Robert Ballard puts the finishing touches on the repaired tether cable between the ROV Hercules and Argus.
