A unique location

Positioned just 200 kilometres from the coast, Princess Elisabeth Antarctica is a gateway to the Sør Rondane Mountains, glaciers and the Antarctic Plateau for scientific projects ranging from microbiology to meteoritics.

Thanks to this unique location, researchers do not need to travel far into Antarctic wilderness to conduct their studies - travel times into the field are minimised.

Challenges and opportunities

Antarctic weather conditions can be harsh; with temperatures ranging between -50°C to -5°C, team members can face serious challenges. However, these cold conditions are not always threats, and in the case of Princess Elisabeth Antarctica, they can prove to be opportunities.

Antarctic katabatic winds, for instance, power the station's wind turbines and provide electricity. The weather does provide challenges however; clearing winter snow accumulation is the Princess Elisabeth Antarctica team's first physical challenge on their arrival to begin the season.

Facilities

Princess Elisabeth Antarctica is designed to withstand the hardships of the Antarctic winter, but is currently occupied during the Austral summer only (November-February) in almost permanent daylight. However, over the course of its projected 25-year lifetime, the station may be used during the Antarctic winter - and the team would face almost 24-hours of darkness a day.

The station has plenty of space (400m² main building and 1,500m² technical areas) and can comfortably accomodate 25 to 40 people.