Ready to fly out

Peter Lambert (PhD student, University of Reading) sent us another update from Rothera research station last Friday:

First Dash 7 flight to Sky Blu being loaded.

First Dash 7 flight to Sky Blu being loaded. Photo: Peter Lambert

With the weather clearing up, the skies around Rothera have been busy with Twin Otters and Baslers, but the most important flight to get everything moving for iSTAR was made on Sunday. The first Dash 7 flight of the season to Sky Blu was successfully made, delivering all the extra kit needed for the traverse. With all the extra kit arriving, James, Jonny and Tim set out on Wednesday from Sky Blu to the beginning of the traverse and have currently made 175 km of progress.

At base we were back up at the caboose area on Sunday, where more access holes were augered so that further measurements with the neutron probe could be carried out. All the tests that we wanted to do with the probe were done and the equipment was brought down on Monday, thawed out and re-boxed. Tom and Anna have been working hard with their radar kit, perfecting their measurement techniques and are seeming confident with the results they are getting. Early yesterday morning (Thursday), all the kit required to carry out the neutron probe measurements was packed into the back of a twin otter, which then left for Sky Blu. The last remaining piece of kit to be sent out for the neutron probe measurements will be myself and with the fast pace currently set by the tractor train, I imagine that this will be pretty soon.

iSTAR
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