What is NASA's primary mission mandate regarding deep-ocean exploration duties?

Answer

It does not fall under NASA’s principal mission mandate.

The delineation of responsibilities among government bodies shows that deep-ocean exploration, while scientifically vital, is generally not part of NASA’s core mission mandate. NASA’s primary charter is centered on aeronautics and space exploration, specifically focusing on objectives like sending humans to the Moon and eventually to Mars, as well as planetary science. The responsibility for direct deep-ocean exploration is primarily handled by specialized agencies whose core missions align with terrestrial and maritime science, such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the U.S. Navy.

What is NASA's primary mission mandate regarding deep-ocean exploration duties?
discoveryNASAoceanexplorationagency