15 October 2026: Swan Hellenic has revealed the six scientists and specialists who will join its 2027 Explore Space at Sea Series, developed in partnership with the SETI Institute.
The programme comprises six cultural expedition voyages, each accompanied by a different expert who will introduce guests to research in astronomy, astrophysics, astrobiology and planetary science.
The sailings will visit destinations across the Asia Pacific, South Atlantic, West Africa, North Atlantic, Arctic and Antarctic regions. Scientific discussions will examine how geological features and observations on Earth contribute to research into other planets, stars and the possibility of extraterrestrial life.
The SETI Institute, which developed from NASA’s High Resolution Microwave Survey, has spent more than four decades researching extraterrestrial intelligence.
Pacific and South Atlantic Voyages Open the Series
Ross Beyer, a planetary scientist at the SETI Institute’s Carl Sagan Center, will accompany Cruising the Pacific Islands: New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands, sailing from Auckland to Honiara aboard SH Minerva from 21 March to 3 April 2027.
Beyer studies planetary landscapes using remote sensing and photogrammetry. His involvement in NASA’s HiRISE, New Horizons and VIPER missions includes research into Mars, the Moon and icy celestial bodies. His sessions will compare volcanic and tectonic activity in the Pacific Ring of Fire with processes elsewhere in the solar system.
Uma Gorti, Chair of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the Carl Sagan Center, will sail aboard SH Vega from Ushuaia to Montevideo on Patagonia and the Wild Atlantic: Cruise to the Falkland Islands, departing 25 March and concluding 8 April 2027.
Gorti researches star and planet formation using computational models and observational data. Her lectures will cover the southern sky, star-forming regions, astronomical navigation, Antarctic balloon experiments and cosmic rays recorded beneath Antarctic ice.
Radio Science and the North Atlantic
Derek Kozel, Principal Investigator of the GNU Radio Project, will join West Africa Coast and Atlantic Islands, sailing aboard SH Diana from Dakar to Lisbon between 5 and 14 May 2027.
Kozel specialises in radio science, instrumentation and machine learning, with research experience at Carnegie Mellon University and Cardiff University. He will explain radio signals and the technologies used to investigate the Universe.
Bill Diamond, President and CEO of the SETI Institute, will accompany From Canada to Iceland Along the Viking Routes, travelling from Halifax to Reykjavík aboard SH Vega from 20 to 31 May 2027.
With more than 30 years of experience in technology industries, Diamond will discuss the SETI Institute’s research and the scientific and technological challenges associated with searching for life beyond Earth.
Arctic Geology and Antarctic–Mars Connections
Megan Seritan, Deputy Manager of the Ring-Moon Systems Node within NASA’s Planetary Data System at the SETI Institute, will join From Iceland to Svalbard, sailing aboard SH Vega from Reykjavík to Longyearbyen between 31 May and 10 June 2027.
Her research examines planetary magnetic fields, particularly the Moon’s ancient magnetic history. She will connect Iceland’s volcanic geology and magnetic records preserved in lava with information held in NASA’s planetary archives.
Janice Bishop, Chair of Planetary Exploration at the SETI Institute’s Carl Sagan Center, will accompany South Atlantic Cruise: from South Africa to Antarctica, sailing aboard SH Diana from Cape Town to Ushuaia between 29 October and 18 November 2027.
Bishop studies Martian minerals, early climate conditions and potential past habitability. Her discussions will examine similarities between Antarctica’s cold desert environments and Mars, including research into minerals and biosignatures.
Partnership Enters Its Fifth Year
Mario Bounas, Chief Commercial Officer of Swan Hellenic, commented:
“We are delighted to celebrate the fifth year of our successful partnership with the SETI Institute and to continue it with six new Explore Space at Sea voyages in 2027. Each voyage connects remarkable destinations with some of the most fascinating questions in science, offering our guests the opportunity to see what others don’t, both on Earth and far beyond it.”
The six voyages will operate aboard SH Minerva, SH Vega and SH Diana, with each expert accompanying one sailing and sharing specialist insights with guests.
Source: Official Press Release distributed by Swan Hellenic
