Starting from the origination and emerging of ocean-based instrumentation for flight vehicles,this paper reviews the history of development of key technologies including the core technologies,fundamental technologies and support technologies associated with ocean-based instrumentation for spacecraft.New requirements and challenges facing ocean-based instrumentation with the rapid development of aerospace technology,defense technology and oceanic science and engineering are analyzed.A conception covering building of the basic theoretical framework,basic research framework and basic information framework of ocean-based flight vehicle instrumentation is proposed to promote development of ocean-based instrumentation for flight vehicles in China.