HANOVER, N.H.—Work conducted by ERDC Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) Research Mechanical Engineer Dr. Jim Lever on the successful South Pole Traverse has been highlighted in a Blue Ribbon Panel assessment of the U.S. Antarctic program.
The panel, commissioned by National Science Foundation Director Dr. Subra Suresh and Dr. John Holdren, director, OSTP (what is OSTP), reviewed U.S. Antarctic program operations, logistics, and management and made recommendations on effective and efficient long-term strategies. Those findings were published in a report titled “More and Better Science in Antarctica through Increased Logistical Effectiveness.”
NSF responded recently to the findings and their recommendations on the “Logistics and Transportation” topic included Lever’s work.
Lever’s work with the Yeti robot last season successfully and remotely located sub-surface areas with buried structures or voids, so that the overlying snow could be made safe for surface activities.
NSF will incorporate robotics technology in future overland traverse platforms, anticipating this will reduce the cost of resupplying the South Pole Station while improving the efficiency of the operation. The goal is to double the number of traverses to South Pole from two to four by fiscal year 2016, achieving an estimated net annual savings of $2 million.
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