Tag: antarctica-summer-14-15

  • Investigating SPIDER Polarimeter Long Duration Balloon Payload

    Investigating SPIDER Polarimeter Long Duration Balloon Payload

    One of the most interesting science facilities at McMurdo is the NASA Long Duration Balloon Facility. This site, on the ice shelf and well away from anything else is the assembly and launch area for extreme high altitude balloons, carrying a variety of science payloads. During my trip out there, I was fortunate enough to…

  • Happy Holidays from McMurdo!

    Happy Holidays from McMurdo!

    McMurdo’s holiday party this year was fantastic! Including family photos slideshow, multiple bands, beer and wine bars, chillout room, and of course, a santa+elves photobooth.

  • Launching a Meterological Balloon from McMurdo

    Launching a Meterological Balloon from McMurdo

    Weather plays a very important part of our lives in Antarctica, and many operations live by the daily weather forecasts. Although there’s a distinct lack of the latest and greatest weather gear on the ice, met balloons are launched twice a day to help build up the daily weather forecasts. I had the opportunity to…

  • McMurdo’s Ice Shelf Airport – Willy Field

    McMurdo’s Ice Shelf Airport – Willy Field

    Here at McMurdo, we have a number of airfields used for different missions. Willy Field is located on the McMurdo Ice Shelf, and therefore can be used year-round, even when the floating sea ice has melted. Only ski-equipped aircraft land here, including LC-130H, and DHC Twin Otters. Earlier today I took a quick trip out…

  • Racing at McMurdo Station

    Racing at McMurdo Station

    Antarctica is filled with interesting, fit, adventurous, competitive people – and as a result, there are a bunch of races every year. Last time I was at the South Pole, I ran one big race – the South Pole Marathon. This year, while I was at McMurdo Station waiting for my flight out to WAIS…

  • Church in Antarctica – McMurdo’s Chapel of the Snows
  • Celebrating Chanukah at McMurdo Station, Antarctica

    Celebrating Chanukah at McMurdo Station, Antarctica

    Chanukah is a celebration, no matter where you are. This year at McMurdo, we used “Hut 10”, a special events building, to host a fun Chanukah party. A few pics..

  • Exploring Scott’s Discovery Hut and Hut Point, Antarctica

    Exploring Scott’s Discovery Hut and Hut Point, Antarctica

    Scott’s Discovery Hut is located on the outskirts of McMurdo Station, and is a short walk from the center of town. A bit of background, and some photos of my recent exploration of the area: From Wikipedia: Discovery Hut was built by Robert Falcon Scott during the Discovery Expedition of 1901–1904 in 1902 and is…

  • Tracking Satellites in McMurdo at NASA’s Near Earth Network Ground Station

    Tracking Satellites in McMurdo at NASA’s Near Earth Network Ground Station

    One of the more interesting facilities at McMurdo station is NASA’s NEar Earth Network Ground Station. The facility is comprised of a server and management office in McMurdo proper, as well as a large satellite dish, covered with a radome, on the edge of Arrival Heights, just outside of town. From NASA: October 3, 2014…

  • McMurdo Station’s Hospital

    McMurdo Station’s Hospital

    Currently, McMurdo Station is hosting a little over 800 people in an industral, dangerous, busy town about as far away from anywhere as you can get. Naturally, with so many people, there’s the occassional sickness and injury. To deal with that, there’s a complete hospital and medical staff waiting to take care of any medical…

  • Exploring the Pressure Ridges of McMurdo Sound

    Exploring the Pressure Ridges of McMurdo Sound

    In McMurdo Sound, the McMurdo Ice Shelf cascades into the sea. pushing and squeezing the frozen sea ice against the hut point peninsula where McMurdo Station and Scott Base are located. This pushing and squeezing of the floating sea ice creates dramatic pressure ridges in the ice, which are beautiful and memorizing to explore. A…

  • McMurdo’s General Store – Anything You Want In The Middle of Nowhere

    McMurdo’s General Store – Anything You Want In The Middle of Nowhere

    Since I’ve been stuck at McMurdo Station, Antarctica for the past week, I’ve had numerous opportunities to shop at the McMurdo General Store. This is the place on station to get gifts, souvineers, clothing, movies, liquor, and just about anything else you could need to feel comfortable. In addition to just providing general goods, interestingly,…

  • An Antarctic Thrift Shop: McMurdo’s Skua

    An Antarctic Thrift Shop: McMurdo’s Skua

    At McMurdo, lots of people transit though on a daily basis – and not everybody needs everything they brought with them. To effectively recycle unwanted clothing and gear, McMurdo has a bit of a free thrift shop, called Skua. The name comes from the Skua birds that inhabit Ross Island, and frequently scavenge dropped food!

  • Observation Hill

    Observation Hill

    Observation Hill is a small mountain that looms over McMurdo station to the east. It’s a fairly steep, but easy climb, and gives views of the entire surrounding area, including the Long Duration Balloon launch facility on the McMurdo Ice Sheet. During my stay in McMurdo, I hiked it a few times. A few pics…

  • My First Penguin in Antarctica

    My First Penguin in Antarctica

    Despite the time I’ve spent here in Antarctica, up until last week I had never actually seen a penguin. That all changed when I was biking from McMurdo Station across the frozen sea ice out to Willy Field airfield. As I was riding along, I noticed a van of people stopped on the ice looking…

  • The Antarctic Crash of C-121 Lockheed Constellation “Pegasus”

    The Antarctic Crash of C-121 Lockheed Constellation “Pegasus”

    A short distance from McMurdo station, on the McMurdo Ice Shelf lies the wreckage of the C-121 Lockheed Constellation “Pegasus”, from which the Pegasus Airfield gets its name. During my stay in McMurdo, I had the opportunity to travel to the resting place of the aircraft to investigate. Background, From AbandonedPlaygrounds.com: On October 8, 1970,…

  • The National Science Foundations Central Offices at McMurdo – The Chalet

    The National Science Foundations Central Offices at McMurdo – The Chalet

    At McMurdo, the National Science Foundation uses a building called the Chalet as their central offices – this includes office space for the senior representative, high level administrative staff, travel staff, as well as general reception and meeting spaces for science and program related meetings. It’s a beautiful building, and a pleasure to visit. A…

  • How To Gear Up For An Antarctic Science Expedition Part 2: Extreme Cold Weather Gear

    How To Gear Up For An Antarctic Science Expedition Part 2: Extreme Cold Weather Gear

    In preparation for departure to the ice, United States Antarctic Program members receive standard issue Antarctic Extreme Cold Weather Gear. This year, since I’m deploying to a remote field camp, I was issued a bit more specialzed gear. This was the first of many gear issues for my team as we gear up for deployment…

  • Pre-Field Preparations at McMurdo Station, Antarctica

    Pre-Field Preparations at McMurdo Station, Antarctica

    A quick update from McMurdo Station: For the past week, I’ve been working with my team at McMurdo Station, Antarctica. We’re running around town gearing up for our upcoming field expedition to WAIS Divide, Western Antarctica. In addition to our briefings and gear organization, McMurdo has a ton of great stuff to do! Here’s a…

  • New Zealand’s Antarctic Outpost: Scott Base

    New Zealand’s Antarctic Outpost: Scott Base

    Just over the hill from US-run McMurdo Station is New Zealand’s Scott Base, part of the New Zealand Antarctic Programme. The base serves as the center of New Zealand’s Antarctic Operations, and is a pleasure to visit. Every Thursday night, Scott Base’s bar, “The Tatty Flag” hosts USAP participants for “American Night”. Shuttles from McMurdo…

  • How To Gear Up For An Antarctic Science Expedition Part 3: Field Camp Expedition Gear

    How To Gear Up For An Antarctic Science Expedition Part 3: Field Camp Expedition Gear

    The final stage of gear preparation for living at Antarctic field camp is preparing the field-specific gear and machines. During the first week at McMurdo, my team and I went through a number of issues, classes, and trainings to get fully ready for deployment to field camp. A few photos from the process:

  • Exploring Christchurch, New Zealand

    Exploring Christchurch, New Zealand

    During transit to Antarctica, I had a brief afternoon of free time in Christchurch, New Zealand. Amidst a few errands, here are three shots taken from around town:

  • How To Gear Up For An Antarctic Science Expedition Part 1: Personal Gear

    How To Gear Up For An Antarctic Science Expedition Part 1: Personal Gear

    As I write this, I’m en-route to work for a season at the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Field Camp, Antarctica. This will be my second season working on the ice, and first time working at a remote field camp. My first deployment was to the heated, enclosed South Pole Station. This time I’ll be living…

  • Long Haul: Flying from Denver to the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Field Camp

    Long Haul: Flying from Denver to the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Field Camp

    Finally, the time has come – I’m departing to Antarctica, for my second deployment to the ice. I’m extremely excited about getting back to work on another great project, and am looking forward to meeting my new work crew, and to working on the IDDO DISC Drill at the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Field Camp.…