The new research complex in Antarctica, the "Vostok" station

On 28 January 2024 the stage of the main construction works was completed: the station is the most advanced infrastructure built in extreme environment conditions, currently put into pilot operation. The main feature of the project is that this facility is being built at the cold pole of the Earth, where the absolute minimum is -89.2, no infrastructure with this level of sophistication and scale has yet been built in the world in such climatic conditions. Russian architects, engineers and builders have once again been the first on the planet.

On 27 August 2020 in Gatchina, at the Experimental Plant of Building Structures, the control assembly of the wintering complex was completed.

In the season of the 67th Russian Antarctic Expedition, the ships Mys Dezhnev, Yaroslav Mudryi, Kapitan Khlebnikov and Andrey Osipov delivered modules to the shores of Antarctica. In the 67th and 68th SAR seasons, the tracked sled crossing will deliver them from the Progress Coastal Station to Vostok.

The new wintering complex consists of five modules: two service and living quarters, a service building with diesel generator units and water treatment and storage system, a warehouse with backup diesel generator and a garage. The length of the complex - 140 m, width - 13.5 m, maximum height - 17.5 m, total area of the premises - more than 1911 m  . The thickness of wall insulation is 80 cm. The station will be erected on 36 3 m high supports, which will allow it to remain unchanged for many years.

At the heart of the station will be four diesel generators of 200 kW each [plus two backup generators located separately from the station]. Along with the complex, several types of solar panels will be sent to Antarctica for testing [the polar day in the East lasts four months]. In the future, the station will be equipped with a solar power plant.

New energy-saving technologies have been applied in the station's design. The ventilation system includes a recuperator that heats the incoming air at the expense of the exhaust air. With the help of the diesel exhaust gas heat recovery system, the air is heated for space heating. Only LED luminaires are used for interior and exterior lighting. The plant's water supply system includes the treatment of process water for reuse.

All systems are doubly or triply redundant, with a two-year reserve of fuel and products.
--
FROM 136.56.52.*