Antarctica and Space

An Other-Wordly Place

Such is the extreme nature of the Antarctic environment, it has been used as a testing ground for equipment to be used on the moon and on the surface of mars. The Dry Valleys region in particular with their extreme cold, winds and dryness are a good stand-in for the surface of Mars and so drills and rovers are tested here.

Despite the harsh environment, there is life in many unexpected places in Antarctica including deep under the ice in buried and isolated lakes, these are thought to be analogous to what may be found on the icy moons of Europa around Jupiter and Enceladus around Saturn where similar hidden lakes may be hiding. If life is found in these places beneath Antarctica, it may also be found on those moons, investigations are currently in the early stages.

Because of these conditions, it is a great place to test designs for space habitats for the Moon and Mars. The same features that are being used in here in Antarctica will be used in space!

Meteorites

About 70% of all meteorites ever recovered have come from Antarctica. These are the remnants asteroids and comets which themselves are the remnants of planetesimals from the early days of the formation of the solar system and planets, these are the smashed up remains of objects that nearly became planets but didn't. A small proportion of the meteorites found have come from our Moon or even Mars following the collision with those bodies by other meteorites and some rocks being blasted off the surface into space before falling to earth.

The flow of glacier ice when it meets with an obstacle such as a mountain means that meteorites that had previously been deposited on the ice and had sunk into the surface are brought to the surface once again after the ice is scoured by wind. At a few specific areas amongst the Transantarctic Mountains, meteorites are concentrated together much more highly than anywhere else (though are still pretty widespread) these are known as stranding zones. In addition to this is the fact that meteorites are dark against a background of white, that there are few other rocks around and no vegetation for them to get buried amongst and it means that there are some prime meteorite hunting spots.

Looking at Space

The dry, cold and stable air above the great Antarctic ice domes in the winter time give the best conditions on earth for observing space, a combination of the darkest skies and the most transparent atmosphere conspire to make it almost as good as being in earth orbit at a fraction of the cost and with the relatively easy ability to change or service the equipment being used.