Flying to the South Pole
by Islands & Ice Travel Founder and General Manager, David Sinclair
Flying to the South Pole
How to get to the South Pole in 2027
In the austral summer of 1911-1912, both Scott and Amundsen engaged in arduous overland journeys to reach the south pole. History records Amundsen beat Scott to the pole by a matter of 37 days. It was such a difficult and dangerous undertaking that no human beings visited the South pole over land again until November 1956.
Today the South Pole is accessible to those without the physical strength and mental endurance to traverse the vast white expanse of the polar plateau on skis. We travel by air from beautiful Cape Town, South Africa to an ice runway in Dronning Maud Land where the journey continues in a Basler BT-67.
Stepping on board the Basler is like stepping back in time to a more pioneering age in aviation. The Basler is a combination of the reliable DC-3 frame (which dates back to 1935) with twin engine turboprop engines and a retractable wheeled ski-equipped undercarriage. The Basler is well suited to Antarctic operations with its payload/range characteristics and its ability to take off and land in short distances. With a maximum range of a little over 2000 nautical miles we will need to refuel on our journey that takes us from 70 49’S to 90S and back.
A short time after take off we fly through the Wohlthat Mountains, a glorious range of stark brown peaks emerging from the ice. It’s the last time we will see anything other than the vast white expanse of the polar plateau. Flying over the ice for hours gives you a sense of the immensity of the continent, of the sheer volume of fresh water tied up in Antarctica. I have even greater admiration for the early explorers that braved intense cold, snow blindness, hunger and more with rudimentary gear. It’s the very definition of an unforgiving, hostile environment yet it’s beauty is undeniable, a vast untamed landscape stretching thousands of kilometres from coast to coast.
The flight to the pole is punctuated by a visit to the Ultima High Latitude Camp close to 83oS to refuel the Basler before continuing the journey to the southern-most point on the globe at an altitude of 2840m (9300 feet). Supplemental oxygen is available in the unpressurised cabin. The expedition doctor travelling with us, periodically tests our oxygen saturation levels with a fingertip pulse oximeter to ensure a safe and comfortable trip from sea level to the pole and back.
Construction of the first station at the South Pole commenced in November 1956, to carry out observations for the International Geophysical Year (‘IGY’) of 1957-1958. In 1975 a geodesic dome was built to house a new station. Construction of a new elevated design commenced in 1999 and the current iteration of the Amundsen-Scott station was officially dedicated in January 2008. There are now, according to the National Science Foundation website, 47 buildings, ‘of varying sizes, including housing, offices, science laboratories, a store, a food growth chamber and dining, recreation and medical services.’ Most station personnel arrive in ski-equipped aircraft while most cargo and the fuel required to power the station, machinery and scientific equipment is delivered via overland traverses from McMurdo Station, a distance of around 1,360kms or 850 miles as the skua flies or 1600km (995 miles) on the designated route.
The Amundsen-Scott Station and surrounds sits within an Antarctic Specially Managed Area or ‘ASMA’. ASMA sites are areas within Antarctica for which management plans are put in place to assist in the planning and coordination of activities within a specified area, avoid possible conflicts, improve cooperation between Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties (ATCPs) and minimise environmental impacts. The ASMA around the South Pole covers the station and surrounding long term research and monitoring sites. According to the text of Antarctic Specially Managed Area No. 5, “the area is located in a region of high scientific value due to many factors including its exceptionally clean air, isolation from sound, vibration, and electro-magnetic interference (EMI), geophysically stable location, unique ice conditions and the isolated population of Station inhabitants. The Area also has significant historical value, containing the Ceremonial Pole and Amundsen’s Tent”.
The Amundsen-Scott station supports up to 150 people in summer and up to 42 in winter. Operating in temperatures that can plummet to below -80oC (-112oF) during the austral winter, the station must contend with conditions that make it one of the most challenging places on Earth to conduct scientific research. Yet, these same harsh conditions provide unique opportunities for ground-breaking discoveries that would be impossible anywhere else on the planet.
Science at the South Pole
Research at the Amundsen-Scott includes glaciology, geophysics, meteorology, upper atmosphere physics, astronomy, astrophysics, neutrino physics, and biomedical studies. Within the identified Scientific Zone in the ASMA there are four sectors: Dark, Downwind, Clean Air, and Quiet.
In the Downwind Sector, no obstructions are allowed. This provides an area suitable for balloon launches, aircraft operations (including the ski-way where our Basler flights to the pole land), and other “downwind”activities. The Clean Air Sector upwind of the ‘Downwind Sector’ ensures a pure environment for air and snow sampling to determine long-term trends. In the Dark Sector, light pollution and electromagnetic noise are minimised to assist astronomical and astrophysical research and in the Quiet Sector, equipment and activities emitting noise and vibrations are minimised to enable seismological and other vibration-sensitive scientific activities.
IceCube Neutrino Observatory
The IceCube Neutrino Observatory is one of the most ambitious and ground-breaking scientific instruments ever constructed. IceCube is a ‘gigaton neutrino detector’ buried beneath the ice. The observatory consists of 86 strings of photo-detectors, extending to a depth of around 2,500 meters. This array transforms a cubic kilometer of Antarctic ice into the world’s largest neutrino detector. According to the IceCube website, “Neutrinos are elementary particles that lack an electric charge and are produced when particles change identities, like during the decay of radioactive elements. From what we know today, a majority of the neutrinos zooming through space were born around 15 billion years ago, soon after the birth of the universe.”
The International IceCube Collaboration comprising more than 40 institutions around the world is responsible for the scientific program. Check out design details here.
IceTop: Cosmic Ray Detection at the Surface
Complementing the buried IceCube array is IceTop, a surface detector that studies cosmic rays – high-energy particles that bombard Earth from outer space. IceTop consists of 81 stations located on top of the same number of IceCube strings.
The surface array serves multiple purposes: it acts as a calibration system for the buried IceCube detectors and measures the cosmic-ray arrival directions in the Southern Hemisphere as well as the flux and composition of cosmic rays. This research helps scientists understand the sources and acceleration mechanisms of these mysterious high-energy particles that have travelled vast distances in space to reach Earth.
Atmospheric and Climate Research
The South Pole Station serves as a crucial hub for atmospheric and climate science. The NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory conducts research on greenhouse gas and carbon cycle feedbacks, changes in aerosols, and surface radiation, and recovery of stratospheric ozone. The station’s remote location makes it an ideal site for monitoring global atmospheric conditions without the interference of local pollution sources. These measurements are critical for understanding global climate change and form part of the baseline data used in climate models worldwide.
Astronomy and Space Science
The unique conditions at the South Pole create exceptional opportunities for astronomical observations. The extremely dry air, stable atmospheric conditions, and months of continuous darkness during the austral winter make it one of the best sites on Earth for certain types of astronomical research.
The station supports various astronomical projects, including studies of cosmic microwave background radiation – the afterglow of the Big Bang – and observations of distant galaxies and other cosmic phenomena. Read more about the South Pole Telescope here.
Renewable Energy Research
South Pole operations rely on thousands of gallons of diesel fuel specially formulated for extreme cold to be transported to the south pole annually. There are obvious environmental, logistical and financial benefits to using renewables to power operations. Researchers at the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Argonne National laboratory are looking at ways to shift away from diesel fuel.
Medical research
The extreme conditions and isolation at the South Pole offer a unique opportunity to study human physiology and health in confined high-risk environments, similar to long-duration space missions. Key research areas include cold physiology, immune function, UV light effects, chronobiology and psychology. Researchers also develop and test new technologies for monitoring, diagnosing, and treating health issues, which can then be applied to both astronauts and remote communities who have limited or no access to medical facilities we take for granted in our big cities. Organizations like the Australian Antarctic Program and the European Space Agency conduct collaborative projects with institutions like the Translational Research Institute for Space Health to advance human health for space exploration and remote healthcare.
International Collaboration and Scientific Impact
The research conducted at the South Pole like other areas of Antarctica often involves truly international collaboration. The IceCube project alone involves scientists from over 40 institutions, making it one of the largest collaborative efforts in physics. International cooperation is essential for tackling the complex scientific questions addressed at the station and more broadly around Antarctica where the extreme environment and significant costs make the conduct of science difficult.
The impact of South Pole and Antarctic research extends far beyond individual discoveries. The technologies developed for use in Antarctica often find applications in other extreme environments, from space exploration to deep-sea research. The international cooperation required for Antarctic science also serves as a model for other scientific endeavours.
Our visit to the South Pole
On arrival at the South Pole we were immediately struck by the different conditions on exiting the Basler. It’s cold, very cold, -37oC to be exact with a light breeze creating an apparent temperature of -50oC at a time when the sun does not set. Vapour from our breath quickly condenses into tiny ice particles that stick to our outer layers. The synthetic clothing and packs we carry feel brittle. The good news is our polar clothing is well and truly up to the task. Snuggled inside our down jackets and various thermal layers we make our way over to the Ceremonial Pole surrounded by the flags of all the original signatories to the Antarctic Treaty. The Ceremonial Pole is comprised of a red and white striped ‘barber’ pole topped with a reflective silver globe.
After pausing for photographs beside the reflective globe we take a short walk to the most southerly point on Earth. The South Geographical Pole is marked by a smaller bronze globe on a rod with a sign commemorating the deeds of Scott and Amundsen. This marker moves due to movement of ice and is moved by station staff annually to its proper position. On our visit we find 90oS to be around 5m from the marker. Once we had located the very southern point on Earth, the inner child makes a joyous appearance as we take it in turns to run rings around the Earth, crossing all the lines of longitude in a matter of seconds.
The magnitude of the experience only really hits me when I return to the Ultima High Altitude Camp at 83oS to refuel once again and spend the “night” to allow the fabulous Kenn Borek pilots and crew time to rest. In reality none of the passengers sleep very much, awed by the midnight sun and the incredible isolation of this tiny wilderness camp amid the endless white and featureless polar plateau. Lying in my toasty down sleeping bag inside a modern tent with a full belly I was a little surprised to find myself overcome with emotion.
Antarctica is a humbling continent. It’s a place that demands respect and patience. It’s a place where cooperation has long been the only currency. Visiting the South Pole highlighted the incredible leaps and bounds humankind has made from the relatively short time Amundsen arrived at the Pole on 14 December 1911. The endeavours and collaboration evidenced by the breathtakingly ambitious scientific inquiry at the South Pole highlighted the good humankind can achieve through collaboration and intellectual curiosity and reaffirmed my long-held view that one day humanity might set aside the other six continents for peace and science.
You can check out a short reel produced by Islands & Ice Travel General Manager David Sinclair on his November 2024 visit to the South Pole here. If you are interested to travel to the South Pole, Contact Us to arrange a detailed briefing with David.