MINSK, 13 December (BelTA) – Participants of the 14th Belarusian Antarctic expedition have begun scientific studies in Antarctica, BelTA learned from a message sent by the expedition's head Aleksei Gaidashov to the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus.
Aleksei Gaidashov said that after emergency work and urgent work to commission the main life support installations of the Belarusian Antarctic station Gora Vechernyaya were completed and research programs were launched on 11 December 2021 a state flag of the Republic of Belarus and a flag of the National Academy of Sciences were hoisted at the station's flagpoles to honor the opening of yet another Antarctic season.
A solemn ceremony to launch the 14th Belarusian Antarctic expedition took place in the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (NASB) on 15 November 2021. A total of 11 people have gone to Antarctica this year. The expedition includes scientific personnel from institutions of the National Academy of Sciences (the national center for polar research, the Physics Institute, the United Informatics Institute, the applied science center for bioresources), the Belarusian State University (the national research center for monitoring the ozone sphere), and other Belarusian organizations. The team includes specialists, who have already been to Antarctica, and new people.
From December 2021 through May 2022 the expedition participants will have to carry out scientific studies and do the main work to build the second startup complex of the Belarusian Antarctic station Gora Vechernyaya. The scientists are expected to return in late April – May 2022.
