One of the main missions of this expedition is to construct a new scientific research station for China here. This will also be the first research station aimed at the Pacific region.
The launch ceremony for China’s 40th Antarctic Expedition was organized by the Ministry of Natural Resources at the Chinese Antarctic exploration base in Shanghai.
According to local media, China’s 40th Antarctic expedition set sail on November 1, 2023, and is expected to return in April 2024, lasting over 5 months.
This marks the first time that the Antarctic mission is supported by three ships, including the “Snow Dragon (Xuelong)” and “Snow Dragon 2”, which departed from Shanghai, primarily tasked with scientific survey missions, personnel transportation, and logistical support; alongside the cargo ship “Tianhui”, which departed from Jiangsu Province, mainly responsible for transporting construction materials for the new research station.
The expedition team this time includes over 460 people from more than 80 organizations in China.
Design of China’s 5th Antarctic research station. (Photo: CCTV).
One of the three focal missions of this Antarctic expedition is the construction of a new scientific research station. This station is located in the Ross Sea area in East Antarctica. It will be China’s 5th Antarctic research station, and the 3rd year-round station following the Great Wall and Zhongshan stations, while also being the first research station oriented towards the Pacific region.
This station will conduct multi-level, multi-disciplinary monitoring, supervision, and scientific research on atmospheric conditions, fundamental marine environments, biological ecology, and more. Once completed, the station is expected to accommodate 80 people in the summer and 30 people in the winter.
The other two missions focus on the investigation of the impacts and responses of climate change on the Antarctic ecosystem, as well as promoting international cooperation in scientific research and logistical support with several countries.
It is noted that China sent its first expedition team to Antarctica in 1984 and established its first research station a year later. The remaining four research stations in Antarctica are: Great Wall, Zhongshan, Kunlun, and Taishan.
