Journal Entry # 6

20 October - 6 November, 2001

Summary: Working with NASA

       For the last week I've been working with project T-949, which is a technical project run by NASA.  Every year, two electrical engineers from the Goddard Space Center come down to Antarctica to maintain a small ground station that is used to communicate with polar orbiting satellites after their take-off.  This year, the two engineers, Andre and Tom, had to not only check-up and upgrade all the computer components, but they also had to move all the computer equipment into a new building.
       Due to radio frequency radiation, the satellite dish is keep away from McMurdo at a location called T-Site.  T-Site is found on the hills above McMurdo and mainly is populated with radio antennas that connect science efforts all over the continent.  Just recently all the communication equipment at T-Site were replaced and along with the hardware overhaul came a new building to store all the computers in.  For that reason, the NASA computers also had to be moved.
       Much of my time working with Andre and Tom was spent moving computer components and antenna controllers from building to building, but in between hauls, they actually allowed me to help replace different cards inside the computers.
       Tom and Andre were great teachers and shared a lot of their knowledge on satellites and ground station dishes.  My work with them came to a quick end today when I found out that I've got to get ready for traveling out across the sea ice to New Harbor at the entrance to the Dry Valleys.  I am excited about finally getting a chance to leave McMurdo, but I wish I could have help Andre and Tom to the end.  Good luck guys and thanks for letting me hang around this last week.