The Gakkel Ridge, hidden under a permanent layer of Arctic ice and more than two miles of water in the most isolated ocean basin on Earth, is a key site for biological, chemical, and geological studies of deep-sea hydrothermal vent systems. The site also offers a compelling analogue for future astrobiology missions to the Jovian moon Europa, where volcanic activity beneath an ice-covered ocean may also give rise to unique biological communities. Two new autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) have been developed with NASA funding to explore for vent fields and find new organisms on the Gakkel Ridge. The AUVs will use computer vision and novel chemical sensors to find and sample biological organisms without human intervention. The expedition will take place during summer, 2007 with support from the National Science Foundation.