News

»

,

Upgrade Update #2

People getting off an LC-130 plane at the South Pole.
Kurt Studt, IceCube/NSF

After the first group of IceCubers spent a couple of days acclimating and reviewing the work needed to get the drill camp up and running, the crew went straight to work. The first order of business? Shoveling. And lots of it. They managed to shovel out most of the buildings in the drill camp. The next order of business was getting the Antarctic Rodwell apparatus (ARA) drill and generator going. Back at McMurdo Station, the South Pole Overland Traverse has officially left and is making good progress. If all goes well, it will deliver the main IceCube Upgrade cable assemblies and much-needed heavy equipment around Thanksgiving. 

A group of people shoveling snow around buildings.
Emmett Krupczak, IceCube/NSF
Some heavy equipment connected with a cable.
ASC/NSF

You may also be interested in…

  • Upgrade Update #14

    Kurt Studt, IceCube/NSF

    Last week, the Upgrade season continued its wind-down, with people leaving and activities at the Pole focused on packing up cargo and winterizing the drill camp. For example, emptied water hoses were wrangled into tanks for long-term storage, and the drill tower and DOM handling facility had to be moved out to the …

  • Upgrade Update #15

    Kurt Studt, IceCube/NSF

    This is the final Upgrade Update as the last field work tasks have been completed and all the Upgrade personnel have left or are scheduled to leave the South Pole. Clear skies and sunshine show off the organized lineup of Upgrade drill towers and other structures that have been moved to the science …

  • Upgrade Update #5

    Kurt Studt, IceCube/NSF

    The IceCube Upgrade project’s progress report for last week has earned the name, as “progress” smoothly continues. The drill camp now has two tower operations sites. One will serve as the installation practice site. The image above is a view looking down from one of the towers, with the wrapped-up drill supply …