News From Around the Solar System

If you've been reading here, you know that at the South Pole Station we recently marked the passing of solstice with a mid-winter celebration. This same occasion was observed by at least 18 other scientific research stations in Antarctica none of whom ate as well as we did! A few days later the Phoenix Mars Mission observed the solstice on Mars. A former South Pole winterover is a member of the Phoenix Mars Mission and he arranged a conference call between mission headquarters and the South Pole Station in honor of the mission's success and in observance of the two solstices (solsticii? [speel check says nyet]).

Antarctica's connection with the U.S. space program and space programs from elsewhere in the world is much broader than conference calls and celebratory exchanges of electronic messages. The Dry Valleys near McMurdo have been compared to the surface of Mars and NASA has taken great interest in the Dry Valleys and studies there have aided in the exploration of Mars.

Antarctica's vast ice sheets provide an ideal environment for collecting meteorites. NASA paid very close attention to the construction of the new elevated station at the South Pole as all construction materials had to be able to fit inside a military C-130 aircraft and flown to the site. NASA reckons they can use this as a model for constructing future space stations.

The European Space Agency hopes to glean experience and knowledge from research at the Concordia Research Station. The agency recognizes that a small team of people who are completely unreachable and must deal autonomously with any situation that arises can provide much insight in how similar situations would be dealt with in space. Environmental factors which are present at the research station are also present in space such as prolonged isolation and exposure to darkness and confinement.

I'm wondering when they'll start taking generator mechanics into space and where do I sign up!?