My first long walk around the Pole

I finally ventured outside for a long walk.

A fine day for a walk.

There is one Ken Borek Air DHC-6 Twin Otter left on station. This is the airline that operates cargo and passenger services in the Arctic and Antarctic to various small camps.

The engines are covered with heated blankets. This one will fly to the U.K. station at Rothera on the Antarctic Peninsula south of South America. There it will exchange the skis for wheels then fly home to Calgary, Canada. What a cool trip.

The Transfer Data and Relay Satellite antenna (TDRS) radome. The South Pole utilizes one of these numerous satellites that used to be used for space shuttle communications. I spent almost 30 years working on the space shuttle 

On the right is the radome that encloses the new Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS) and SKYNET antennas.

South Pole (TDRS)  SPTR2 antenna.

The SPRT2 RF shack.

This radome holds the SKYNET and DSCS antennas along with two Radio Frequency (RF) shacks.

SKYNET antenna.

DSCS antenna.

Standing at the "end of the world."

The sun rotates the South Pole every 24 hours. Today it is at 8 degrees elevation and will continue to rotate and descend below the horizon for the only sunset per year on March 21st. 

My dorm wing and the beer can that leads to the underground.

The geographic South Pole. This sign and flag are moved about 30 feet each January 1st.

The 2017 South Pole marker. The 2018 marker will be designed and built here during this winter.

A bit cold today.

The ceremonial South Pole marker along with the flags of the original Antarctic Treaty signatories in 1959.

Amundsen-Scott South Pole station front door. 

A very thick front door.

After a few hours outside it was time to go inside.

At my work station this graphic shows our current satellite coverage. The schedule advances every day as does my work hours.