Oceanographic research ships (T-AGOR) perform research in support of Naval oceanography.

Ships of the Conrad class were the first ships built for the purpose of Naval oceanography. Because they were completed over a seven-year period, and were subject to change before and during construction, they vary in detail, with different bridge, side structure, mast and laboratory arrangements. Mizar and a sister ship originally were built to carry cargo for Army projects in the Arctic. In 1964-1965 she received an extensive conversion to an AGOR.

She was a key participant in the search for the sunken submarine Thresher (SSN-593) in 1964 and later helped to locate the sunken Scorpion (SSN-589) in the Atlantic and the Soviet Golf class diesel submarine in the mid-Pacific. She also participated in the search for the hydrogen bomb lost at sea off Palomares, Spain, in 1966. Mizar is operated by the Military Sealift Command for the Navy's Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command.