Spring has come, but winter is approaching in Antarctica
The new wintering complex of the “Vostok” station in Antarctica, the only Russian inland Antarctic station, is fully prepared for the first wintering of polar explorers. This was reported by the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI). In Antarctica, the cold season usually begins in mid-March. Specialists have completed the preparation of life support infrastructure and received all the necessary cargo.
AARI Director Alexander Makarov emphasized the importance of testing the new complex under extreme temperature conditions, which can drop below -80°C. The main priority is to ensure a sufficient volume of fuel, so the station is equipped with 12 tanks with a two-year supply of energy carriers, which make up almost half of all 2.6 thousand tons of cargo delivered to the station.
In the current season, tests will be conducted in the new complex to assess the efficiency of energy consumption, functionality, and reliability of engineering systems. Twenty-two engineering specialists will remain at the station to debug all systems, along with six polar explorers who will master the new units. The “Vostok” station was established in 1957 and is the only Russian Antarctic station within the continent.
Photo: Zapsibgazprom