Read all about it here (report included):

https://greenland.net/windsled/newzealand-university-canterbury-report-acknowledges-future-with-the-windsled/

This year the WindSled has finalized the scientific and exploration expedition “Antarctica Unexplored Dome Fuji 2018/19” between December 4, 2018 (departure) and February 12, 2019 (return). A unique trip which has revolutionized the world of polar science by reaching the heart of Antarctica with an Aeolian vehicle, totally environment sustainable and economically efficient, to conduct a scientific campaign. A project which has been valued positively by some of the great international polar scientists to date (Dr. Peter Clarkson, Dr. Jason Box, Dr. Paul A Mayewski, Dr. John Higgins, Dr. Jerónimo López, Dr. Antonio Quesada…) The expedition members have been on ice for 11 weeks, in total autonomy, through one of the most unknown and inhospitable areas of Antarctica.

This campaign has been possible thanks to the sponsorship of the Prince Albert II Foundation of Monaco, and the European Space Agency (ESA), in collaboration with GMV Company. Participating projects from the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), INTA-CSIC, University of Maine, Climate Change Institute (USA) and various universities. On the other hand, a crowdfunding campaign has been carried out in which 340 people have participated individually or on behalf of institutions.

Antarctica Unexplored Dome Fuji 2018/19 has been directed by the designer and promoter of the WindSled, polar explorer Ramón Larramendi, who has organized and led, together with this one, a total of 10 expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic since year 2000 with this Aeolian vehicle.

He has been accompanied by three expeditionary with extensive polar experience: Ignacio Oficialdegui (expert engineer in renewable energies), Hilo Moreno (guide and assistant at the Spanish Antarctic base Juan Carlos I) and Manuel Olivera (expert industrial engineer). The four expedition members are knowledgeable handlers of the WindSled and have also received training to perform the scientific tasks entrusted to them on this campaign.

Antarctica Unexplored Dome Fuji 2018/19 covered a total of 2,538 km (1,577 mi) in 52 days along a triangular route that has not been previously carried out by any  international expedition without motorized means and external assistance. They departed from the vicinity of the Russian Antarctic base Novolazárevskaya towards the interior of the continent, towards Dome Fuji, located at 3,810m (12,500ft) of altitude. A location where a Japanese base is situated and which is the second highest point in the interior of Antarctica. There, one of the lowest temperatures recorded on the planet (93.2°C/ 135.76°F below zero, in 2010) has been registered.

Although the campaign has been carried out in the summer, the equipment withstood temperatures of 50°C (122°F) below zero. They attained the top of Dome F from the North American scientific base Plateau Station (Queen Maud Land), abandoned since 1969, hence returning from that point to Novolazárevskaya Base.

This is the third time WindSled visits Antarctica (earlier in 2005 and 2012), but on this occasion with an improved vehicle, a 100% scientific objective and a challenging exploration route given the altitude reached solely driven by wind energy. This will demonstrate, after almost 20,000 kilometers already covered in polar territories, that the polar eco-vehicle is an efficient alternative, the most sustainable to date (zero emissions) and effective for global polar research even in the most adverse conditions.

The Council of Administrators of National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP) has published the report which includes the initiatives presented at its last symposium, attended by the The WindSled Project, represented by its designer and promoter, Ramón Larramendi. COMNAP, an international organization created in 1988, is made up of those responsible for the coordination and planning of Antarctic activities in each country to improve practices in the management of scientific research. Thus, here, the eco-vehicle was presented as a good, clean option for the continent.

Ice core extraction near Concordia station

IPICS Scientists (International Partnership in Ice Core Sciences), who want to reach old ice in Antarctica (1.5 million years back) in the next decade, are currently preparing several international projects. The Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) is working in the same line, and is already designing a mobile scientific station for the 2020-2021 campaign, which would be some 1,100 kilometers inland from the Casey research station, near DOME C, the Franco-Italian Concordia station and EPICA. Among the campaign routes they are studying: a historical route from the Casey research station to Law DOME plateau and a transversal route to Vostok station, considering others as well. They would carry 320 tons on board between food, samples and ice cores to operate a thousand kilometers inland with a team comprised of 16 people.

Another large expedition campaign was presented at COMNAP, in this case by China: the China Antarctic Research Expedition (CHINARE) would begin at the Zhongshan station in eastern Antarctica to end at the Ross Sea region. “Such a project is beyond the capacity of a single nation to address, so CHINARE tries to foster international cooperation and obtain support. Its objective is also to contribute to the understanding of the East Antarctic ice sheet with a platform to launch scientific research in the area. For this they have designed a plane called “Snow Eagle 601” equipped with skis that performs air gravity and magnetism measurements, laser altimeter data acquisition, aerial photographs…thus allowing ice thickness measurements. Since 2015, this Snow Eagle has undergone 68 flights, collecting geophysical data from more than 118,000 sites in East Antarctica aside from being the first DC3 aircraft landing at the Kunlun station in China.

1.

https://www.comnap.aq/SiteAssets/SitePages/AGM2018/COMNAP%

20Symposium%20program%20v%2020%20April%202018%20FINAL.pdf

2.

https://www.comnap.aq/Publications/Comnap%20Publications/Proceedings%

20of%20the%20COMNAP%20Symposium%202018%20Facilitation%20of%

20Internationally%20Collaborative%20Antarctic%20Science%20PDF.pdf

During the week of May 6th to 9th, Ramón Larramendi has been invited to the Ocean Week: Oceans in Change conferences, organized in Trondheim (Norway) to bring together the world’s leading experts to present their research and reflect on the situation of the oceans (scientists, industries, activists, philanthropists, innovators, etc.)

Larramendi participates in the tuesday May 7 session, under the conference entitled “The Poles and Climate Change”, with Gabrielsen, Faksness and Irina Rogozhina, NTNU Department of Geography (Norwegian University of Science and Technology). The intervention will focus on The WindSled Project and its latest S&T 2018-2019 campaign in Antarctica.

2019 OCEAN WEEK NORWAY is undoubtedly the great event of the year in relation to the worrying situation of the oceans.

https://www.ntnu.edu/ocean-week/tuesday-7-may

A jump to Norway, Trondheim, where project director and Inuit WindSled designer, Mr. Larramendi, was invited to the ‘Ocean Week 2019: Oceans in Change’ Congress, organized in Trondheim by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, and with participating worldwide ocean experts.

“The ultimate diagnosis on the situation of the seas is catastrophic.  Numerous studies ranging on microplastics, noise and impacts were presented. Overall expectations are quite negative, ” affirms Larramendi, who was invited to this forum to explain about the WindSled project, as an alternative and clean manner of navigating the ice.

The positive notes were the unstoppable future of renewable based energies, just as eco-vehicle, WindSled driven only by Eolian power:

“The impulse of offshore wind turbines, is unstoppable. Apparently, 2018 was the first year in which they have been installed without any subsidies, being at market price already. At the level of marine ecosystems, there has been a positive evaluation as, in the immediacy of these towers, fishing is prohibited. Therefore, important marine reserves are being created. In addition, at present, floating offshore wind turbines are being developed. Not to forget this country has great aquaculture development and lives largely on oil extraction, with offshore platforms, “he recalls.

He was also pleasantly surprised by the presence of King Harald of Norway in a debate, in which he showed his clear interest in innovation and science, to the point of being one more participant of the table in question.

There is no doubt that in Scandinavia, the turn to electric transport is becoming a reality.

In parallel, he acknowledged during his last trip to Arctic Greenland, that in just a few months electric cars had taken over the cities. While airborne, he was surprised by the level of thaw at the beginning of May (similar to 2017, when he performed the Greenland Ice River Expedition, and upon landing he realized that in the Arctic they are aware that a considerable change must come from transportation. “I realized that almost everyone in Nuuk now has electric cars, that there are many charging sites, as occurs throughout Scandinavia. These vehicles no longer pay taxes, which are still high for conventional cars. This has facilitated an increase in demand and sales. In Nuuk´s case, almost all the electrical power comes from a hydroelectric source, a waterfall, quite renewable. It is clear that the electrical revolution is a fact.”

1st WINDSLED SCIENTIFIC SYMPOSIUM

June 12 2019

10-14 hrs.

Assembly Hall of the National Museum of Natural Sciences, Madrid

Note: this activity is restricted to scientists and related interdisciplinary areas.

The 1st WindSled SCIENTIFIC SYMPOSIUM will be held on June 12, in which the research groups, who have participated in the polar expeditions with their projects, will be able to share their preliminary results and reflections on the work carried out, as well as sharing experiences and generating collaborative synergies between them, given the interdisciplinary fields that are involved with the polar eco vehicle. The possibility of producing a joint scientific publication on the expedition may be discussed.

Other researchers that may be interested in the work performed by CSIC or the other institutions will be invited also.

So far, the confirmed participating researchers are 19. This number could increase in the coming days as we are still expecting more confirmations:

– Ramón Larramendi (WindSled project)

– Dr. Antonio Quesada (MicroAirPolar project)

– Dr. Ana Justel (MicroAirPolar project)

– Dr. Sergi González (Aemet Antarctica and MicroAirPolar)

– Javier Sanz de la Heras (Aemet Antarctica)

– Benito Elvira (Aemet Antarctica)

– Jaime Fernández (Aemet Antarctica)

– Dr. Victor Parro (Solid project, Astrobiology Center CAB, CSIC – INTA)

– Miriam G. Villadangos (Solid, Astrobiology Center CAB, CSIC – INTA)

– Eduardo Sebastián  (Solid, CAB CSIC-INTA)

– Dr. Miguel Ramos (Meda. Univ. Alcalá de Henares)

– Juan Javier Jiménez Cuenca (Univ. Alcalá de Henares)

– Manuel Castillo (Gesta project – Galileo, European Space Agency)

– GMV Company yet to be determined (Gesta)

– Manuel Prieto Mateo (Antair project, Univ. Alcalá de Henares)

– Josabel Benlliure (Helios project, Univ. Alcála de Henares / Univ. Valencia)

– Begoña Jimenez (Sentinel Project, IQOG – CSIC)

– Dr. Jason Box (Dark Snow Project, Univ. Copenhagen), video

– Juan José Abalos (Cosmic Rays and Cryosphere), Greenland 2016

Corresponding to 11 different scientific projects.

https://greenland.net/windsled/2018-19-scientific-projects/

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After a brief initial presentation by Ramón Larramendi on the development of the scientific works in the 2019/19 Antarctica Unexplored Dome Fuji campaign, and the evolution since the first expeditions from a scientific point of view, he will then give way to the researchers presentations.

The duration of the symposium will be of 4 hours. Each project has about 20 minutes to inform and answer questions of other attendees.

At finalization we will have 30 minutes for conclusions.

A lunch is planned in a restaurant nearby for which confirmation is requested.

This activity is possible thanks to the support of the National Museum of Natural Sciences in Madrid, Spain.

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For further information or attendance, please contact Carin E. at:

cole.lo.eve@gmail.com, tlf (34) 650084850

Thank you.

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The development of a space instrument such as MEDA (Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer), parts having been tested on the WindSled in the last Antarctica expedition campaign, has taken a great step forward. The component parts developed independently by different worldwide institutions, must be assembled at their final location in a very complex Martian mecano while being connected to each other. “It is a process during which the pressure is maximum, because the time to launch is shortening, and there is practically no margin for error,” comments Dr. José Antonio Rodríguez Manfredi, engineer at the Center for Astrobiology, CAB, and principal investigator for MEDA .

In this case, it has already been integrated into the “brain” rover of the instrument, called the Instrument Control Unit (ICU), and designed by Airbus-Tres Cantos. The MEDA engineering team verified that the results of the tests carried out were as expected. The next step will be the integration, first mechanically and then electronically, of all the sensors that make up MEDA, to be placed on the Mars 2020 mission vehicle.

The MEDA instrument will be in charge of the environmental and dust characterization on the surface, registering all these magnitudes uninterruptedly throughout the duration of the mission. The sensors are distributed on the deck and the mast of the vehicle, and will perform their operations in coordination with the rest of the instruments that are also part of the mission. Specifically, MEDA consists of seven sensors to measure wind direction and speed, relative humidity, atmospheric pressure, solar ultraviolet, infrared radiation and visible incidents, properties of dust in suspension, temperature of soil and air. Additionally, a placed camera to take images of the Martian sky (including the clouds). Some of these sensors went to Antarctica, obtaining the expected results.

If all goes well, MEDA will join the two environmental stations that the CAB and the CDTI already have operating on Mars. These are REMS (Rover Environmental Monitoring Station) that arrived on the red planet in 2012 aboard the Curiosity rover; and TWINS (Temperature and Wind Sensors for InSight mission) that landed on Mars last November.

On June 12th the symposium was held in Madrid, at the National Museum of Natural Sciences, bringing together more than twenty national and international polar scientists with 14 different projects. All of them having participated in expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic with the emission free WindSled eco-vehicle. During the event, organized by the Inuit WindSled Project, the preliminary conclusions of the work carried out were recapitulated, mainly from the last 2018-2019 Antarctic crossing, but also from previous ones. The objective was to share experiences and analyze in common the perspectives for the future demand of this platform.

Each of the teams presented their findings in turns of 15 to 20 minutes in which they highlighted the achievements and difficulties encountered with the polar mobile platform. Some researchers interventions, such as Dr. Jason Box, Dr. Ross Edwards and Dr. Paul Travis Vallelonga, were made through videos in which they explained in detail their participation. With the information provided a publication is being prepared.

If something became evident that day was the great diversity of scientific and technological projects that WindSled can carry on board through the Antarctic and Arctic ice sheets: including Biology, Glaciology, Space, Geology, Meteorology… In fact, some of the devices designed for the vehicle could be patented given their performance and successful testing trials under extreme conditions.

When the turn for conclusions arrived, the main challenges the Inuit WindSled Project faces were brought up. Also the opportunity for polar science to be able to position itself with something so innovative in the international scene. In fact, as recalled by its designer, Ramón Larramendi, there have already been some scientific publications concerning the data acquired in the past and a mention in Nature Journal, for example, within an article that evaluates different alternatives for science development free of polluting emissions: “Sustainability a greener culture” by Julia Rosen, June 2017.

https://www.nature.com/naturejobs/science/articles/10.1038/nj7659-565a

And also by the same author:

https://www.newsdeeply.com/arctic/articles/2017/07/13/scientists-harness-wind-to-study-greenland-ice-sheet

Among the main conclusions of the symposium (in the absence of additional scientific results that will take some time to be published), the following is highlighted:

THE CHALLENGES

-Regarding the timing, the scientific community may or may not raise the need to work in certain polar areas considering the mobile WindSled platform. There are scientists who argue that if it is readily available it would be utilized, especially being an important innovation and versatile tool for science, whilst opening new territories of exploration.

-Some scientists defend that it is not necessary to be everywhere and that in some countries in particular, the scientific budget per say does not have enough capacity to cover all areas. In Spain’s case, the polar science estimation is already quite tight to try to incorporate a new scientific platform such as the WindSled. Since there is no increment in funds to start a minimum structure of operation it would have to subtract from another budget item.

-There are still many improvements to be made on the WindSled in terms of compliance and monitoring of scientific protocols so that the field data collected allow for quality scientific results. The problems mentioned by those present in the last expedition are related to the fact that at the moment there is not a single trained person dedicated 100% to work on the WindSled, since this requires a budget. The need to standardize protocols and professionalize the crew in scientific tasks is detected.

-Another issue noted referred to the energy supply of the scientific projects on board that would have to be solved for the definitive bet on the eco-vehicle, in order to obtain the maximum possible scientific yield. With more investment and planning, these problems could be solved.

-The WindSled faces the challenge of overcoming the administrative obstacles imposed by the current bureaucracy of the scientific system, which is very complex and which although the highest levels of the national Ministry are trying to solve, it is not easy because it depends on other public bodies also. We are, thus, looking for formulas to fit the project in the national public system.

FUTURE OPTIONS:

-From official instances it is considered fundamental to evaluate the degree of demand that exists in the scientific community of this platform to determine the number of teams involved, the number of projects, their continuity over time, and so on. Based on this demand, the decision will be taken to incorporate it as a Spanish national mobile polar structure without affecting others already underway. At the moment, the demand has been excellent, since 11 projects have participated in the last expedition.

-For many of those present, the WindSled has great value for national and international science. The international prestige is highly valued offering the world wide scientific community a zero environmental impact mobile polar platform.

-In relation to the data obtained in the Antarctica Unexplored Dome Fuji campaign, some of the researchers present conclude that the quality / price ratio of the work performed is excellent, given the high cost of accessing 80º South to acquire useful scientific data by other means.

-Concerning the aforementioned international collaboration, the future possibility of WindSled functioning as a “spaceship” or, better yet, “polar ship”, in which different the projects pay an established fee for carrying a scientific payload on board, was mentioned.

-There is the possibility of having official national and international calls to which different projects can register and sign up while each project contributes funds for the expedition campaigns and a basic operational structure for the Inuit WindSled Project.

-A proposed management model could be having an expedition campaign every three or four years (annually too, according to the demand), well planned in advance so as not to risk all the funds of a project to an expedition.

-It is confirmed that the national Science Minister in acting,  Mr. Pedro Duque, is very interested in the WindSled coming forward.

-A private initiative is discussed: Ramón Larramendi would create a company that offers the WindSled as a private service that the institutions or projects may contract as a means of transport through the Antarctic and Arctic ice sheets.

-It is proposed to seek formal ongoing collaborations with institutions such as with the European Space Agency (ESA).

-It is finally concluded that the expedition campaigns carried out, and especially the last one, have demonstrated that WindSled is a viable scientific platform.

SPEAKER: Ignacio Oficialdegui

Technical Director

The INUIT WINDSLED PROJECT

Technical Management

READ all about it:

Airborne Wind Energy CONFERENCE, OCT 15-16 2019

University of  STRATHCLYDE, GLASGOW, UK

https://www.awec2019.com

Mankind has always tried to navigate the ice in order to explore the remotest polar regions of the planet. All developments have been traditionally based on the use of masts and sails trying to make use of low altitude winds. The lack of a reliable logistic solution has kept vast polar regions as inaccessible, and therefore unexplored, until very recent times.  In mid XX century, above all linked to cold war achievements, USA and Russia made a huge effort to explore the interior of Greenland and the enormous Antarctica Eastern plateau. Dozens of thousands of liters of fuel were burnt in the most pristine areas of the earth.

Once in XXI century, just a few projects have dared to explore these territories without finding a solution that make them economically and environmentally sustainable.

In year 2.000, the Spanish polar explorer Ramón Larramendi, designed a vehicle that has resolved most of the challenges based on the Inuit wisdom and the use of airborne wind energy, the WINDSLED.

WINDSLED basically consists of a wooden sled, very reliable, that adapts to the complex surface of the ice, and a NASA type kite (NPW). The kite is positioned up to more than 250m above ground level (in development up to 400m). It is powered with kites from 5 to 150 m2 (in development up to 200m2). WINDSLED is a modular structure with up to 4 wagons that has already carried 6 persons and more than 2 tons of weight for thousands of kilometers across the most unknown regions of Greenland and Antarctica. It can be carried in a small plane or helicopter and has carried out some of the most relevant exploration expeditions of the XXI century.

It has navigated around 24.000 km in 10 major expeditions with an autonomy of up to 65 days that covers most of the polar summer season.

Last expedition finished in January 2019, becoming the first Antarctica scientific zero emission expedition. This circular navigation of one of the highest and coldest regions of the continent brought scientific data and samples for recognized organizations such as the European Space Agency, Climate Change Institute of Univ. Maine, Higher Council for Scientific Research, Spain (CSIC), and some relevant polar research Institutions. This expedition saved more than 45.000 liters of fuel just in the polar journey, without taking into account the shipping by air of heavy conventional machinery.

WINDSLED is a nonprofit collaborative project seeking knowledge and experiences in the Airborne wind energy world.

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Publication date 20th sep 2019

By Ignacio Oficialdegui