Antarctica’s vast snowy landscape is out of reach for most who visit or work on the icy continent. Scientists who spend time in Antarctica are confined mostly to the areas around the various research station, due to the inhospitable, unbuilt landscape.

To get as close a look as possible on the rest of the continent, NASA’s Operation IceBridge routinely conducts flyovers. Often employing a DC-8 plane modified with scientific instruments, the IceBridge team surveys unexplored areas and track changes in ice formations. For nearly a decade, these flights have provided a unique perspective on parts of Antarctica otherwise unseen by the human eye.