The New Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station - The new elevated station is larger and much more sophisticated than anything that has been built at the Pole.
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Courtesy of Dwight Bohnet/NSF

The New South Pole Station
News story originally written on January 15, 2008

The United States has dedicated a new scientific station at the geographic South Pole. This is the third station the United States has operated at the South Pole since 1957. The new station is called the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, named after Roald Amundsen and Robert Falcon Scott. These two explorers were the first humans to reach the South Pole. Amundsen arrived there first, on December 14, 1911. Scott reached the South Pole 35 days later on January 18, 1912.

The United States supports many different scientific research projects in Antarctica. The new station is safe enough to allow scientists to stay at the South Pole year round to conduct research. It will allow scientists to conduct large experiments in areas like astrophysics, environmental chemistry, and seismology. It took 12 years and 925 flights delivering cargo in order to build the station. This new station will allow scientists to continue to work on the scientific field campaigns of the International Polar Year (IPY).

Last modified April 28, 2008 by Becca Hatheway.

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