Antarctic Infrastructure and Logistics Update

1. Antarctic Infrastructure and Logistics Update Erick Chiang Section Head Polar Research Support Section Office of Polar Programs

2. Information Security Update • OPP and the CIO’s office conducted analysis and testing in FY 04. • Initial test identified 141 vulnerabilities; all have been addressed • OPP is working with RPSC to establish an internal process for continuous testing • Vulnerability Analysis and Penetration Tests are part of the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) • NSF/OIG recently completed analysis and testing as part of the FY 05 FISMA compliance audit • Four vulnerabilities identified; OPP & RPSC working their resolution at this time • Intrusion detection systems need to be improved; OPP/RPSC developing budget plans to address in FY 06 • Science Systems deployed as part of grant activities will become part of future assessments • Unsecured data collection system in place and transient user systems – such as laptops, present an avenue for unauthorized access and potential disruption

3. KRASIN • 4th year of continued heavy ice in McMurdo Sound • USCGC POLAR SEA laid up. Only POLAR STAR available. • World-wide search for back up • KRASIN, owned by Russia, operated by Far East Shipping Co. became available on commercial basis • Largest Non-Nuclear vessel in Russian fleet • 2/3 the HP but 1.5 times the displacement of a POLAR • Highly successful performance. • Have initiated request for continued support in future years

4. 2004-05 South PoleTraverseRoute

5. Traverse on Upper Leverett Glacier

6. SP Const 23 March 2005 SPSE/SM Construction Schedule

7. Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station

8. U.S. Antarctic Program McMurdo Power Plant Phase I • Purpose • Replace McMurdo Station’s aged power generation infrastructure objectives • Improve reliability of power production • Provide an emergency powere and water production source • Increase station fuel effieciency • Cost • Current estimate at complete as forcasted by the project schedule: $11,900,165 • On-site construction commenced: 4 DEC 2004 • Conditional occupany through Phase II: OCTOBER 2006 • Project closeout & documentation Complete: APRIL 2007

9. South Pole Traverse Proof-Of-ConceptAccomplishments of Year Three Traverse team completed all modifications to the sleds utilzed last season and departed McMurdo Station, November 11, 2004. Traverse included five towing tractors, thirteen sleds, and Piston Bully equipped with GPR (overall weight approximately 736,578 pounds). Advanced the trail to South Pole to a point 738 miles from McMurdo Station • Safely crossed the McMurdo Shear Zone for the third time • Crossed the Ross Ice Shelf; experienced no problems with soft snow conditions • Ascent of the Leverett Glacier with minor problems due to crevassing Trail is now well marked with flags every ¼ mile and free of crevassed hazards. Traverse team experiences zero incidents of sled failures, zero incidents of unplanned tractor maintenance and zero requirements for shuttling loads. Team well positioned to complete the Proof-of-Concept Traverse next austral summer with only 298 miles of unproven route to go.

10. South Pole SPSM FY05 Accomplishments • Obtained Conditional Occupancy of Elevated Station wings B1 (Emergency Power and housing for 38) and B2 (Science) • Completed steel framing and panel enclosure of the remaining Elevated Station wings A4 (Summer Housing for 66) and B4 (Multipurpose). This milestone represented 100% completion of the Elevated Station framing and enclosure of all 8 wings. • Successfully relocated the Elevated Dorm to the Dark Sector for science laboratory usage (IceCube Counting House) • Completed Phase I of the new Cryogen Facility in support of expanded dewer storage capacity and FY05 winter demands