SPoT MODULE PROJECT

 If you were asking "What is a Specialized Operational Project?" Well, this project is about as specialized as they come. Yet, despite the project's final home in Antarctica, it was still a residential project at heart - just on skis!

During the project Yardstick Studio worked with Hamelmann Communications, to design and develop a series of six (two sets of three) modules for United States Antarctic Program (USAP) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). These modules provide living, sleeping, and utility support for the teams that make the two-month round trip journey, as part of the SPoT (South Pole Overland Traverse) Program. This program delivers fuel and supplies from McMurdo Station, located on the coast of Antarctica, over 1000 miles to the scientists stationed at the South Pole.

Conceptual Design for the project

CONCEPT_V2

Initial Conceptual Design Presentation for the Dormitory Module

SPOT Module Project

We worked closely with Anchor Engineering on the structure for each of the modules. As the project was to be shipped to Antarctica, and assembled on-site, there were many factors that needed to be incorporated into the design and structure for each stage of the module's journey.

STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING ANALYSIS

The project design was approved around the end of the year in 2023, so I put together a short holiday video to celebrate!

(Less than a year to deliver the modules!)

And then Hamelmann started fabrication!

Construction Photos

 

FLOOR STRUCTURE FABRICATION
WALL STRUCTURE FABRICATION
ROOF STRUCTURE FABRICATION
HALF-MODULE STRUCTURAL FRAME STAGING
HALF-MODULES READY FOR EXTERIOR CLADDING
THE BOTTOM IS FIRS, BUT THEY NEED TO BE ROLLED
BOTTOM SHEATHING
CLADDING BEGINS
EXTERIOR DIAMOND SHINGLE ALUMINUM CLADDING
ONE THE HALF-MODULES ARE DRIED IN, INSULATION CAN BEGIN
GENERTAOR INSTALLATION
SHOP EQUIPMENT INSTALLED
KITCHEN CABINETRY INSTALLATION
FINAL WALK-THROUGH INSPECTIONS
INTERIOR REVIEW AND INSPECTIONS
TRUCKING DAY!
LOADING HALF-MODULES ONTO DOUBLE-DROP TRAILERS
HEADING TO PORT HUENEME IN CALIFORNIA
STAGED IN PORT HUENEME READY FOR LOADING ON THE VESSEL
ACCESSORY COMPONENTS AND OUR MOBILE WORKSHOP
PORT HUENEME (STOCK PHOTO)

The modules were delivered to Port Hueneme the last week of November 2024.

In January, the half-modules and accompanying materials and equipment were loaded on two vessels - the Ocean Giant and the Ocean Gladiator - and then embarked on the second leg of their journey, the sea voyage to Antarctica (with a few stops along the way).

We arrived in Christchurch, NZ on February 2nd, with our team from Hamelmann Communications, to start our deployment to Antarctica and assembly of the modules.

 

DEPLOYMENT AND ASSEMBLY

Christchurch, NZ to McMurdo Station, Antarctica

We arrive in Antarctica followed by the first vessel with the Half-Modules on board.

 

Arriving at the USAP CDC (Clothing Distribution Center) in Christchurch, NZ.
Trying on our cold weather gear!
Landing at McMurdo
In McMurdo
Some time to sight-see while we go through training classes and wait for the first vessel to arrive.
McMurdo from Observation Hill
First vessel to arrive with the modules.
Unloading Half-Modules onto flatbed trucks.
Unloading Half-Modules at staging area - "Old Mill-Van Alley"
Half Modules staged
Installing accessory components
Installing plaques
Cast Aluminum Module Plaques

To see how the plaques were made, check out the:

Plaque Casting Process

BACK TO THE ASSEMBLY

The second vessel arrives with the rest of our materials, the crane mats, and our mobile shop.

Second vessel arrives with additional steel components and the crane mats.
Accessory components staged at
Our "Fish Hut" warming hut
Early morning safety and weather meetings
Accessory componenets and mobile shop get delivered to SPoTSA
Installing the mounting decks
Mounting deck mounted to
Laying out and setting up the crane mats in order to be able to lift the module halves.
The crane mat is ready to go!
Loading the modules for their trip from McMurdo out onto the Ross Ice Shelf.
Heading up "The Pass" outside McMurdo.
Down the other side of "The Pass" to the Ross Ice Shelf in the distance.
One of the locals - an Adele Penguin.
Lifting the port-half-module from the Challenger Sled.
Placing the port-half-module on the ISO-3 Sled with the mounting decks pre-installed.
Temporary screw-jack assemblies support the port-half-module while we wait for the starboard half
Mounting the starboard-half-module.
Both halves are then bolted together at the mid-line.
The fist module is complete! Five more to go!
Sunday off and we take a ride on the snow machines out to the base of Mt. Erebus.
Some days the weather just wasn't on our side.
And then other days were sunny, but cold.
Some mornings begin with a little workout to remove snow that had drifted in overnight.
Starting to mount the accessory components. Here the steel for the cantilevered catwalks is being attached.
Fuel tank being installed.
Catwalks with the railings installed.
Teh modules as assembly comes to an end.
Fun working out on the ice in the shadow of an active volcano.
All six modules assembled.
Testing and trials begins.
After seven weeks on the ice, it's time to redeploy.
Time to reflect on what we had just completed on the six-hour flight back to Christchurch, NZ.

FOR MORE INFO ON OUR DEPLOYMENT, CHECK OUT:

MY DAILY DEPLOYMENT BLOG ON SUBSTACK

Thank you to everyone that worked on this project. And a special thanks to Hamelmann Communications for inviting me to be a part. It was a life changing experience to work with such wonderful team - all passionate about their work in support of science and discovery!

Truly amazing project.

Truly amazing place.

And truly amazing people.

After passing test trials, the modules are hauled to be parked on mounds out on the ice to wait out the winter until their first trips to the South Pole next season.