The first Air Force LC130 aircraft to land at the South Pole since February 15th. It was one of the
coldest landings ever at -68 F with the engine exhaust creating a spectacular vapor contrail
The
first Air Force LC130 aircraft to land at the South Pole since February
15th. It was one of the
coldest landings ever at -68 F with the engine exhaust creating
a spectacular vapor contrail
October at the Pole - Station
Opening Day
October
brings the first aircraft since station closing in mid February, but
with it brings a very hectic time. There are many station tasks such as
putting up aircraft skiway flags, taking
down flaglines to various
sites, moving alot of snow by shoveling and using Caterpillars,
cleaning
up the station, packing personal items, cleaning your room and moving
out to the Korean War Jamesway tents in summer camp for a couple of
weeks. In addition to that, I have many things to do in the
laboratories such as monthly reports, annual reports, the creation and
update of program manuals for each of my 11 projects, cleaning up the
lab spaces among many other things. This year I am scheduled to leave
November 1st, weather permitting, on a straight-through flight. That
means I leave the Pole on a ski equipped LC-130, fly 3 hours to the ice
runway at
Williams Field at McMurdo Station, then transfer to an Air Force C-17
aircraft and fly about 6 hours to Christchurch New Zealand.
winterovers
watching our replacement crew depart the aircraft
cold
liftoff the dome entrance dug out
for station opening
skiway flag
installation crew toward summer camp
the geographic South
Pole snow on ARO compressed gas
bottles
Early
October is when you see what the wind has done to the surface of the
Antarctic plateau and see what you were tripping over all winter.
sastrugi
antenna field
drift at the geographic
South Pole (by S.
Ryan)
drifted flags
polar plateau
I
finished the last diagnostic procedure for the mount for the Search for
Extrasolar Planets
telescope. Hopefully, they now have enough information to repair the
mount this summer season, while I am on
vacation. removing controller
circuit boards configuring boards for
troubleshooting tests
It is
now time for wrapping up the season in the Cusp Lab and the other 4
locations I have. The infamous back door of the lab is getting tougher
to keep open each year. working in the cusp lab
in the cusp
lab the
entrance hole to the back door looking out of the door
leaving the back door
entering the lab
the
tunnel from the dome to skylab tunnel ice crystals
some of the Cusp Lab
antennas
The winter band played its 6th and last concert of the winter season for the winterovers and some of the 110 new people who arrived on the first three flights. I have been the drummer along with 5 other musicians all season. It was out best gig of the season, but the sad part is that we will never play together as a band again. Since I am wintering again next year, I am already recruiting musicians for next year's winter band. rock and roll drum solo dancing sax solo We also had an awards ceremony to pick up our Congressional Antarctic Service Medals.
NEXT MONTH:
I'll Be Surfing in New Zealand!!!!
..... Be Back
at the Pole in February!
A Real-Time Photo of South Pole Station as Seen from the ARO Building (live when satellite is up)
A Comprehensive
South Pole Web Site by Bill Spindler
Winterover Web Pages
(Bill Spindler's List)
MY
SOUTH
POLE 2003-2004 HOME PAGE
