The 35th Italian Scientific Expedition in Antarctica has started with the opening of the Italian Station “Mario Zucchelli” (MZS) WAP ITA-Ø1 on the promontory of Baia Terra Nova.
MZS Base was reopened by a group of 20 people, composed of the expedition leader Gianluca Bianchi Fasani, specialized logistic personnel of ENEA, employees of the Armed Forces operations room, helicopter pilots, a doctor and a cook.
The summer campaign will last 4 months and will host 250 Italian and foreign technicians and researchers, supporting 45 research projects, some of which will be performed at other Antarctic Bases. This coming year 2020, the base will close for the first time, on March 20, to allow, after the departure of the scientific staff, the execution of some important renovation works.
Financed by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR) in the framework of the National Antarctic Research Program (PNRA), Italian expeditions are managed by ENEA for planning and logistic organization and by CNR for scientific coordination.
As far as we know, there are no Hams among the 35th IAE Team to put MZS (WAP ITA-Ø1) on the air.