BLAST-Pol Again!

After a long separation, BLAST-Pol and I have finally been reunited! Tristan, Laura, and I arrived in Palestine to find that the initial crew (Natalie, Elio, Tyr, Giles, Greg, and Mark) had assembled the gondola to where it could point.

Fabulous Prize™

I finally receive my Fabulous Prize, won during the 2010 Antarctic campaign

Nitrogen

The cryostat closed, on the pump, and cooling to liquid nitrogen.

Blinkenlights

My favourite sight: lights blinking happily as the DAS works

No pirates allowed

?

BLAST-Pol

BLAST-Pol.

Balanced

Introducing Tyr

One of Mark's new student's. He's got the balance pump open.

Balance pump box

Mirror "features"

From extensive measurements

The extra window

Pringles are yummy

This, and many pictures like it, are why Tristan should not be left alone with a camera

Tristan

As slight revenge a catch him acting silly. Which isn't particularly rare

ACS open

And shiny

The BOB

Break-out-box, the place where all cabling messiness is condensed. Open for some tweaks.

Computer box

Complete with Christmas decorations leftover from 2010

Elio drilling

To attach the radio transmitters

Elio closeup

Robin

Asymmetrically sunbleached from a long time spent sitting on the Ross Ice Shelf

Packaging

For one of the new pinhole sun sensors

Unloved bike

One of the neglected and destroyed cruiser bikes. Tyr replaced the tubes on one, making it vaguely functional