Last season a number of construction milestones including making the new science and operations facility, the Discovery Building, weathertight and the runway replacement lighting becoming operational has been completed. The upgrades completed to the runway lighting and operational equipment ensure resilience and maintain safe flying operations at Rothera Station (WAP GBR-12). The Discovery Building is a new two-storey scientific support and operations facility to replace older buildings that have reached the end of their life – some of which are up to 50 years old. The programme aims to replace old buildings that have reached the end of their life with modern and energy-efficient infrastructure that should need less maintenance. Automated back-up support features mean should a fault occur, the system can be returned to operation quickly reducing any disruption to life on station. The building has been designed with a focus on sustainable and environmental design and will house both the science and operations teams at the UKs largest Antarctic Research Station.
This season has been focussing on the internal fit-out of the new building and resurfacing the runway.
The runway is an important international gateway for Antarctic science and recent works ensure we can continue to offer aircraft facilities to ferry cargo, scientists and support staff to research stations in the polar regions.
More at: The Discovery Building | Research Station Modernization by NORR
TNX and credit to: BAS (British Antarctic Survey) Modernising our stations: news from Rothera – British Antarctic Survey (bas.ac.uk)