The National Data Buoy Center: A History

1967

In October 1967, the Coast Guard oversaw the completion of a study which concluded that national data buoy systems were feasible for the United States to implement, and would be the best way to satisfy a large demand for federal requirements for marine meteorological and oceanographic data.

1969

The project was prioritized, and the Coast Guard budget included funding (to become available Jan. 1, 1970) for the development of a National Data Buoy Systems office to oversee all research, development, testing, and evaluation for this project.

1970

The Coast Guard's National Data Buoy Project announced its relocation to NASA's Stennis Space Center (then called the Mississippi Test Facility) on July 9, becoming the first resident tenant.

Following the creation of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in October of 1970, the National Data Buoy Project was transferred to NOAA.

The first Experimental Environmental Reporting Buoy (XERB1) was deployed in the Atlantic Ocean, east of Norfolk, VA.

1971

On July 12, 1971, the National Data Buoy Project Office was transferred to National Ocean Survey (NOS), Office of Marine Technology, where it was designated as the National Data Buoy Center.

1972

Work began on a prototype/pilot buoy network, proposing six stations in the Gulf of America.

1979

The NDBC network had grown to 26 moored stations.

1984

Motivated by the 1982-1983 El Niño event, the Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) array was developed by NOAA and Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL) to bring in more data from the Tropical Pacific Ocean for improved monitoring, prediction, and understanding of the El Niño and the Southern Oscillation (ENSO) effect. This began with 35 ATLAS buoys and evolved into what is now known as our TAO array.

1985

The Coastal Marine Automated Network (C-MAN) was created in 1981, strategically establishing coastal weather stations across the United States. The core network was completed by 1985.

NDBC also deployed the first operational directional wave system and the first operational hybrid solar/primary battery power system.

1990

NDBC's operational network had expanded to 75 moored stations.

1995

First operational 3DV (foam hull) buoy was deployed, which would continue to be a standard for weather system hulls.

2003

In 2003, the National Data Buoy Center completed the process of transitioning the newly developed Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunami (DART®) array from PMEL to NOAA. This network began as six stations and has grown to 39 stations in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans that are now maintained by NDBC.

2005

By 1994, the TAO array had grown to over 50 moored stations. In 2005, PMEL began transferring ownership and management of TAO stations to the National Data Buoy Center.

2006

The Mission Control Center, responsible for handling all NDBC data, became a 24x7 operation.

2012

Weather Buoy SCOOP payload design and deployment was completed with Hurricane Sandy Supplemental Funding.

2026

Voluntary Observing Ship program (VOS) was transferred to NDBC.

TAO Recapitalization was completed, using Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funding.