Robert Ballard: The Man Behind RMS Titanic Discovery

Discovering RMS Titanic

The world’s largest and most luxurious passenger ship of its time

Ballard's discovery of the RMS Titanic on September 1, 1985, remains one of the most significant moments in maritime history. For over 70 years, Titanic’s resting place remained unfound, despite the ship’s tragic fate capturing global attention. But the ship remained undiscovered for decades, as its location and condition continued to baffle experts. Many people planned and attempted to recover the ships remains throughout the years, however none were successful, until Ballard’s expedition.

His journey to find the Titanic wasn't without setbacks. His first attempt in 1977 with the deep sea salvage vessel Seaprobe, which essentially was a drillship with sonar equipment and cameras attached to the end of the drilling pipe. Sadly, the expedition ended in failure when the drilling pipe broke.

However, Ballard didn’t give up hope. In 1982, he approached the U.S. Navy with a proposal to use Argo, a deep-sea underwater robot he had developed, to search for the Titanic. While the Navy was not interested in financing the search for the lost liner, they were keen on locating two missing submarines. They agreed to fund Ballard’s search if he first located and investigated the submarines, which he did over the next two years.

As part of his top-secret mission, with just 12 days remaining at the end of the expedition to search for Titanic, Dr. Ballard recovered the ship more than two miles beneath the waves of the North Atlantic on 1st September 1985, in what has become one of the world’s most historic and significant discoveries.

First pictures of Titanic's wreck.
Credit: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute

Beyond Titanic

The discovery of RMS Titanic is just one chapter in Ballard's illustrious career. He has also located other significant shipwrecks, such as the German battleship Bismarck, RMS Lusitania and the lost fleet of Guadalcanal.

Ballard’s contributions to oceanography extend far beyond shipwrecks. He has pioneered the development of deep-sea submersibles and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), revolutionising our ability to explore the ocean’s depths. These innovations have opened new frontiers in marine exploration, revealing ecosystems and geological formations previously unknown to science.

In recent years, Ballard has continued to share his passion with the world. He frequently visits organisations like Titanic Belfast, where he connects with the public, sharing stories from his extraordinary career and discussing the importance of preserving our oceanic heritage.

Dr Ballard’s visit to Titanic Belfast

On March 31, 2023, Dr. Robert Ballard visited Titanic Belfast to see the newly unveiled gallery, ‘Ballard’s Quest’, created in his honour as part of the reimagined Titanic Experience. At the time, he shared it really felt like he had followed his dream to become Captain Nemo. The visit marked Titanic Belfast’s 11th anniversary and provided Ballard with an opportunity to reflect on his incredible mission to locate the Titanic, 73 years after its tragic sinking.