Yesterday some of us took a tour of the WISSARD test site. Before deploying to drill down to a sub-glacial lake, they’re drilling a test hole in the ice shelf, a little down the road from us. Our guide, Dennis, took us all through the modular and mobile stages of melting, purifying, heating, and pressurizing water to drill a hole through the ice.
Between the drilling team, various science teams (biologists, geologists), and PR people, there’s quite a few WISSARD folks down here this year. Seems like you bump into them all the time.
Electronic tour
For Mark's son's class at school
WISSARD site
Mostly comprised of red sea-container buildings on skis
Our guide: Dennis
The drilling man
Snow melter
Because that's where you get water in Antarctica
Water storage
Repurposed insulated tank, for keeping liquid warm rather than cool
Hose fittings
Filter room
The water passes through filters and UV sanitizers to remove non-living and living contaminants
Modular pump/heater unit
The essence of the drill. There are six of these
Hose feed room
Is controlled by a series of motorized belts
Large spool
At the exit of the feed room
Drill platform
There's lots of active development here still
Lowering a collar through the middle
Sweet crane
With robot arm
Hose spool
With no point of reference, you can't tell that this is large
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