Cameron joins up aboard the Russian research ship , `` Akademik Mstislav Keldysh '' , with a group of NASA scientists , as well as some Russian marine biologists , to investigate ten hydrothermal vents in both the Atlantic and Pacific . Cameron joins up aboard the Russian research vessel Akademik Mstislav Keldysh with a group of NASA scientists , as well as some American marine biologists , to investigate ten hydrothermal vents in both the Atlantic and Pacific .