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Digital Divers
Bringing History to Life Through Advanced Scanning Tech
By Sarah Conway and Olivia Kindfuller
The USS Monitor, known for its pivotal role as the first Union ironclad warship in the Civil War, sunk in 1862 during a storm off North Carolina. Today, 163 years later, the USS Monitor lies on the ocean floor serving as a sanctuary to a multitude of species. Northrop Grumman and its cutting-edge sonar technology recently captured never-before-seen angles of the historical sunken ship to help a federal organization study the shipwreck-turned-sanctuary.
The wreck was discovered in 1973 and designated as the country’s first National Marine Sanctuary by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in 1975. The USS Monitor now serves as a thriving artificial reef, home to diverse marine life and a symbol of American maritime heritage. NOAA monitors the health of the sanctuary and was in search of a readily available, specific tool to closer evaluate the status of the site; Northrop Grumman’s Micro-SAS (μSAS) technology provided exactly that unique capability. In September 2025, through the company’s Technology for Conservation (T4C) initiative, NOAA and Northrop Grumman partnered to scan the historic ocean-floor site, gathering environmental data, shipwreck imagery and evolution details about the current health of the sanctuary.
“The project sounded like a great adventure — and it was,” said Brad Linter, who was the technology operator on the USS Monitor mission in the Atlantic Ocean. “It was a new experience to operate our vehicle in the open ocean, but we were able to capture images of the surrounding debris field and assist NOAA in collecting biological data to further identify what species inhabit the area.”
This project really helped us in furthering our capabilities for the evolution our μSAS tech with our boat, operation vehicle, learned skills and sonar. Now we have an example to point to and showcase our ability to customers interested in this tech.
Advancing Through Tech
μSAS is a sophisticated tool designed to collect high-res imagery and fine-scale data, and this tech was key in capturing a firsthand look of the USS Monitor wreck.
“Our μSAS technology was essential to providing a deeper look into the ocean floor, capturing 360-degree images of the shipwreck despite murky waters including a visual of the boat’s keel — clear, detailed views that had not been captured before in NOAA’s stewardship of the site,” said Kevin Gallagher, a key engineer architect on the μSAS team.
Northrop Grumman also developed 3D models of the ship that will be displayed this year at The Mariners’ Museum and Park in Virginia.
“We used the scan data to create a 3D version of the USS Monitor that will serve as a valuable educational tool, allowing broader public awareness to a historic artifact and marine preservation initiatives,” said Jennifer VanBerschot, T4C Project Lead and Research Scientist. “The 3D model preserves details of the USS Monitor that might be lost over time, ensuring that if the physical artifact deteriorates or undergoes unintentional damage, its intricate features and historic significance are preserved.”
The USS Monitor scan experience provided Northrop Grumman a revolutionary opportunity to leverage the μSAS technology in a rare, shareable space.
“We have a lot of μSAS data, but it’s in classified spaces,” Kevin said. “For our μSAS team, this was an opportunity to show how we’re using this high-res imagery and 3D tech beyond the aerospace and defense industry, growing our reach and capability of μSAS.”
Endless Opportunity
Martin Kepinski-Kozaczek, a manager on the Seabed Enabling Technologies team at Northrop Grumman, founded T4C in 2018. His passion for both technology and the environment led him to create external partnership opportunities within the community.
“I’ve always gravitated toward programs with an environmental component,” said Martin. “I also love innovative technology, which is why I’m at Northrop Grumman, and so being able to marry the two — technology and environmental conservation — has been exciting.” T4C offers an avenue to showcase Northrop Grumman’s cutting-edge technology through a different lens.
“T4C allows us to put our core Northrop Grumman values to action,” said Jennifer. “Doing what we promise, committing to shared success, and pioneering new technology—all as we do the right thing to support conservation efforts.”
The USS Monitor project opens a door to continue exploring the deep sea and marine life with μSAS tech, whether in the aerospace and defense industry or beyond with partners like NOAA.
“This project really helped us in furthering our capabilities for the evolution our μSAS tech with our boat, operation vehicle, learned skills and sonar,” said Kevin. “Now we have an example to point to and showcase our ability to customers interested in this tech.”
*All activities were conducted under permit No. MNMS-2025-001.
Summary
Northrop Grumman’s μSAS sonar technology enabled detailed 3D imaging of the USS Monitor wreck, supporting NOAA’s marine conservation efforts and expanding the tech’s applications beyond defense to environmental preservation.
Key Takeaways
- μSAS technology captures unprecedented high-resolution 360-degree imagery of underwater historical sites in challenging conditions.
- Northrop Grumman’s advanced μSAS sonar demonstrates scalable digital imaging capabilities with cross-industry conservation impact.
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