Ninety Degrees South - Antarctic Research Vehicle


James Moon presented 'Ninety Degrees South', a vehicle designed to meet the specific requirements, logistical challenges and harsh conditions of the Antarctic environment. Light weight and partial disassembly allows it to be airlifted in Twin Otter aircraft, for use on the Antarctic plateau, a requirement previously satisfied only by snowmobiles. By using a combination of tracks and wheels the vehicle can travel over more varied terrain than other snow-specific vehicles. Intended for scientific use and private expeditions, Ninety Degrees South has a remote pathfinder vehicle for crevasse detection. In the spirit of the Antarctic Treaty, the vehicle is both minimal environmental impact transport, and a scientific tool. He says, “The challenge was to design an environmentally-friendly vehicle specifically for Antarctica that could be used also in other cold regions. I’m particularly interested in overcoming the dangers of traveling across crevassed areas of ice. Unknown terrain limits the speed of any journey over the ice - the faster you can detect crevasses the quicker you can travel. I’m using unmanned pathfinder technology which travels on a GPS controlled route ahead of the main unit. The pathfinder is secured by a 90 foot umbilical cord, and uses ground-penetrating radar to assess risk. I believe this technology serves as a prototype for future, entirely automated, expeditions in the Antarctic and on other planets.”



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Designer James Moon, a graduating Masters student at the RCA, said that "Ninety Degrees South" was the first vehicle specifically designed for the Earth's most inhospitable wilderness.

The two-man transport provides a lightweight, environmentally-friendly and more adaptable alternative to the snowmobiles and large tracked vehicles currently favored by those working in Antarctica.

The vehicle's combination of front wheels and rear tracks enables it to operate on ice, snow or hard surfaces, giving it greater operational adaptability than conventional exploration vehicles.

The vehicle, called "Ninety Degrees South", uses novel technology to keep drivers safe, warm and protected from the high levels UV exposure that occur under the Antarctic ozone hole. Designed to fit into the small Twin Otter aircraft that BAS use for working in remote deep field locations, Moon’s two-person vehicle has a combination of tracks and wheels allow it to operate anywhere on the continent over hard ground, snow or ice surfaces. The designer believes the versatility of his concept vehicle has commercial potential.

Ninety Degrees South provides full protection from the elements for its passengers.

The vehicle's combination of front wheels and rear tracks enables it to operate on ice, snow or hard surfaces, giving it greater operational adaptability than conventional exploration vehicles.

Moon said Ninety Degrees South was small enough to be transported around Antarctica by light aircraft and would cause minimum environmental damage -- a key consideration towards maintaining the continent as a pristine wilderness.

Pathfinder technology also enables the vehicle to move quickly and safely over unknown terrain. A small GPS-controlled unit travels ahead of the main vehicle connected by a 30-meter umbilical cord and uses ground penetrating radar to identify potential dangers.

David Blake, British Antarctic Survey Head of Technology & Engineering says, “The large tracked vehicles (Sno-Cats) and snowmobiles we use have been developed over several years and work reliably in the extreme Antarctic environment, supporting our field and base operations. James Moon’s concept is very novel and a vehicle built to his design could enable new areas of activity to be undertaken in Antarctica, including ground based deep field surveys. I am sure that should the vehicle be developed, it could also be used as a personnel carrier in Arctic regions. James's vehicle is innovative and challenging and I am delighted at his enthusiasm and drive in developing his concept vehicle.”

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