Modern 3D technology helps preserve legendary USS Intrepid

In a remarkable breakthrough, modern 3D technology has allowed experts to capture the USS Intrepid with millimeter-level accuracy. 

Through a partnership between the Intrepid Museum and FARO Technologies, the entire 872-foot aircraft carrier was documented using advanced laser scanning systems that generated a staggering 14.7-terabyte digital model. 

The USS Intrepid project involved more than 1,300 individual scans, each containing millions of data points, enabling the creation of a highly precise digital twin.

Museum exhibition lead Chris Malanson and FARO’s Irene Radcliffe described the effort as far more ambitious than initially imagined. 

What began as a plan to scan a single deck for restoration planning quickly transformed into a full-ship documentation mission, partly made possible when pandemic closures left the USS Intrepid empty, granting rare access to restricted spaces.

The digital twin preserves not only the physical layout of the USS Intrepid but also decades of human history embedded in its walls. 

Experts have noted that modern 3D technology will help ensure the legendary USS Intrepid remains accessible to future generations, long after the real steel begins to age.