Jacques Cousteau called his main research vessel Calypso.
Cousteau leased the ship in 1950 from Irish businessman and politician Thomas Loel Guinness for the symbolic price of one franc per year. He had the former British Royal Navy minesweeper refitted into a floating laboratory, film studio, and operational base for ocean exploration. Its full designation is often written as RV Calypso.
Calypso became closely associated with Cousteau's expeditions and television documentaries. The vessel carried diving equipment, laboratories, photography gear, and a small submarine used to investigate underwater environments. It helped bring marine science and ocean conservation to a worldwide audience.
The name comes from Calypso, the nymph in Greek mythology. The ship was not Cousteau's only vessel, but it was his principal research and filming platform for decades. It also appeared in major films including The Silent World and World Without Sun.