Here's our latest postcard from Rothera Research Station - Discovery Building progress and station life!
March was a bustling month at our Antarctic station, with the final flight (of our Dash-7 aircraft) departure on 12 March. The station continues to have many people on site until the RRS Sir David Attenborough polar research ship arrives on 28 April and deparrts on 4 May.
Discovery Building taking shape
The interior fit-out of our impressive new Discovery building is progressing well. The Discovery building is our new scientific support and operations facility. Several rooms have already been taken over by British Antarctic Survey (BAS) as teams move furniture in and begin to make use of the spaces. Our IT specialists are now working in the computer server room, connecting cables and joining the wires that help computers talk to each other, while our Supply Chain Logistics team are using the central stores.
We've collaborated with our construction partner BAM by using the latest technology to check our new racking inside the central store. This must be compliant with Health and Safety regulation and inspected before being signed off. Our Estates team had previously trialled this technology, so we were able to benefit from this in supporting our work on station. The team at Rothera arranged the inspection by connecting with a specialist in the UK who could certify the racking remotely. Many thanks to our Estates team for enabling this facility to be used and to everyone who helped with making this possible.
External Works
The platform surrounding the Discovery building is now complete, with heated concrete slabs installed to prevent ice forming in front of doors. Our imposing crawler crane (the large yellow one mounted on tracks!) has been temporarily relocated to the wharf until it's time to prepare it for the harsh Antarctic winter (known as 'winterising').
Life at Rothera Research Station
The onset of Antarctic winter has brought spectacular night skies over the research station, with breath-taking displays of the Aurora Australis (Southern Lights). Following their tremendous efforts preparing the building for handover, staff on station were treated to a memorable boat trip in their spare time.
Our construction partners remain on site until mid-May. The official handover of the Discovery building is scheduled for early May when operational teams will start to make use of the new facilities. We'll continue working with BAM on any outstanding work.
Excitement is building for bringing this world-class scientific support and operations facility into use in Antarctica.
About the Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme
The Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme (AIMP) is part of the UK Government's long-term investment in the Polar Regions. The programme is delivered in partnership with construction partners BAM, Ramboll, Sweco, G&A Barnie and Hugh Broughton Architects.
