Auto pilotTraverse may employ robotic tractors in the futurePosted August 7, 2009
The traverse train is not only the wave of the logistics future in Antarctic, but it may soon use some high-tech gadgetry to complete its mission even faster. Paul Thur said engineers with the U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) Traverse by the Numbers
1 Pisten Bully with ground-penetrating radar 1 Caterpillar Challenger 95E with a crane 3 Caterpillar MT865Bs (2 with cranes, 1 with winch) 2 CASE STX450 QuadTracs (1 with blade) 2 CASE STX530 QuadTracs (both with blades) In theory, a 10-member crew could drive nearly 24 hours a day. Five people would drive while five others slept in a living module. “The traverse then would be really short,” said Thur, Traverse Operations manager for Raytheon Polar Services Co. (RPSC) That means the traverse could make more trips to South Pole, or support science projects in the field. This season, the crew will carry equipment to build a tall weather tower about 160 kilometers from McMurdo Station “The last two years we’ve supported POLENET That could also change in the future. Back to main story: Traverse on track. |