Projects - South Pole Station fuel resupply
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The U.S. South Pole Station is a research facility that is literally at the end of the Earth.  A large amount of fuel is needed to support the inhabitants of the station and the research they conduct. In the past all fuel was flown in using ski equipped LC-130 aircraft. CRREL has worked with the National Science Foundation on an alternative means of fuel delivery - a tractor convoy towing bladders full of fuel.

Surface transport from McMurdo Station to South Pole station is a difficult voyage covering 1000 miles and going from sea level to an elevation of 9300 feet. Challenges include cold temperatures, sastrugi (rock-hard snow waves of snow), soft snow, and crevasses. In November - December 2008, eight tractors successfully conducted a traverse taking one million pounds of cargo, including 120,000 gallons of fuel, to the South Pole. This overland traverse replaced 45 LC-130 flights to the pole saving 2 million dollars and reducing carbon emissions by 99%. Further overland resupply traverses are planned for the Antarctic and for Greenland.
 


 
POC: Jim Lever



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