Construction highlights of China's new Antarctic research station

China's new research station is anticipated to function as a self-contained scientific hub, catering to Chinese scientists engaged in research activities in the southwestern region of the continent.

The construction of the main building of the station, which is situated along the coast of the Ross Sea, has already been completed, and the 84 functional modules have all been installed.

The Ross Sea, with the largest ice shelf in Antarctica, sees the most active interacts between the Southern Ocean and the Antarctic ice sheet. It's regarded as the least altered marine ecosystem on earth – a living laboratory that could possibly tell the life history of the Antarctic. It also has the largest ice-free area in Antarctica – the McMurdo Dry Valleys, which is of great significance for the study of the lithosphere.

Countries including the United States, Italy, Germany, and South Korea have established stations here to conduct research and study.

China is also building a 5,244-square-meter research station on the west coast of the Ross Sea, which will enable Chinese researchers to conduct study within a 300 to 500-kilometer radius.

"It's not simply about constructing a building. Its infrastructure, which includes the roads, ports, energy sources, water treatment, and communication systems, must be taken into account," Duan Meng, chief designer for the research station, told China Media Group.

"Furthermore, we have to take into consideration the building's function. It should have spaces for office rooms, scientific researches, experiments, storage, living and recreation, and other social activities. Despite its tiny size, the research station is actually a miniature science city," he said.

The construction, which started in early December, is expected to be completed within two months.

In addition to the main structure, 84 internal modules will be assembled, with 16 for winter and 26 for summer accommodation, allowing it to house 80 people in the summer and 30 in the winter.

In order to shorten the on-site construction period and reduce construction waste, all the steel structures of the new scientific research station were already segmented into several modules and pre-assembled in China, as a way to refine the design plans and test the performance in advance.

"The prefabricated modules make up 45 percent of the entire building. All assembly work and interior decoration were completed in China, and upon arrival at the site, they can be quickly installed onto the framework. After the pipelines are connected, the building will be ready for immediate move-in. It's a very fast process," Duan said.

China has already built four Antarctic research stations, with Changcheng and Zhongshan serving as all-year stations, and Taishan and Kunlun as summer stations. The new base will be the country's third all-year station in the region.