Week 42 at the Pole

Front view of small plane arriving at the Pole, propellors still twirling.
Martin Wolf, IceCube/NSF

Another plane arrived at the Pole last week to refuel before continuing on to McMurdo Station. This one, however, departed with a couple of additional passengers. Two of the 39 winterovers who have been isolated at the South Pole station for the past nine months boarded that plane as the first leg of their journey back home. IceCube winterovers Josh and Martin are still among the remaining crew. They were busy last week with a trip out to the IceCube Lab to replace some faulty power supplies. And Martin was also busy photographing the plane arrival and departure. The last image below shows the departing plane as it flew in a 180-degree turn over the IceCube Lab.

Two winterovers in red parkas approaching an airplane on the ground for departure.
Martin Wolf, IceCube/NSF
Airplane in distance, taking off from South Pole icy surface.
Martin Wolf, IceCube/NSF
A red airplane high above the IceCube Lab, with clear blue skies.
Martin Wolf, IceCube/NSF