Dudley Foster
Acting
Biography
Dudley Foster is an American mechanical engineer and deep‑sea submersible pilot who became one of the longest‑serving pilots of the manned submersible DSV Alvin at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. A former U.S. Navy pilot with a degree in mechanical engineering from California State Polytechnic University, he joined WHOI in the early 1970s, trained to operate Alvin, and went on to lead hundreds of deep‑sea dives, contributing to major scientific discoveries including hydrothermal vents and undersea explorations like the wreck of the RMS Titanic. Foster also served as expedition leader, overseeing logistics and training for Alvin operations throughout his multi‑decade career.
Known For
Dr. Robert Ballard of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute and his research team become the first undersea explorers to locate, photograph, and explore the wreckage of the ill-fated HMS Titanic, which sank on its maiden voyage 2 1/2 mile deep in the icy waters of the Atlantic in 1912, taking 1500 passengers and crew with it to a watery grave. Utilizing dazzling state-of-the art equipment and cutting edge expertise they record the decaying remains of the ocean liner once thought "unsinkable."
Secrets of the Titanic
Deep on the ocean's floor, one landmark continues to fascinate above all the rest, It's tragic tale has been told many times. But there is another story... an ongoing technological drama... a high-tech adventure to discover and explore the mysteries of th RMS Titanic. This is that story... a quest marked by failure, success, classified operations, and moral uncertainty. 90 years after the loss of over 1500 souls, the story continues to this day.
Titanic: 90 Years Below
Decades after the RMS Titanic sank into the Atlantic, the dream of investigating the wreckage was finally realized by undersea geologist Dr. Robert D. Ballard. In 1986, only a single camera crew was allowed to accompany his historic expedition. Using high-tech cameras mounted on submersibles, this remarkable program takes viewers into the frigid depths nearly two and a half miles below the ocean’s surface, revealing spectacular color images of the ship’s once-luxurious interior.