Little Dome C - Beyond EPICA Drilling Site (75.29917°S, 122.44516°E)

Weekly REPORT - 7-14 November 2021

November 7th arrival in Dome C of the LDC opening group, Calogero Monaco, Michele Scalet, Saverio Panichi

The low temperature throughout the week, made all the activities to be carried out outdoors very complicated, also for the correct use of the vehicles.

In this first week, the PB300 with the crane and the PB300 with the cabin, were removed from the winter cave, and received a first maintenance service. Now are operational. The full maintenance will be completed next week.

The ITASE modules (energy, life and storage) have been opened and moved to the cargo line. Then powered by DomeC power line, in order to carry out maintenance of the generator and the warm-up of the life module. The ONAN generator, after some difficult, now is working properly. We need to complete the maintenance of the generator (glycol circuit) and to fill and check the hydraulic system.

We have checked the communication systems (BGAN, PC with mail server and VHF radio), prepared a list of integration of food and other materials of common use necessary in LDC.

We have also prepared the schedule of the DomeC-Little Dome C traverses to be made next week.

Best regards

Calogero, Michele and Saverio.