The United States' only heavy icebreaker, the USCGC Polar Star, returned to its homeport of Seattle on Monday following a 105-day casualty-ridden deployment to Antarctica in support of Operation Deep Freeze. Operation Deep Freeze is an annual joint military service mission in support of the National Science Foundation, the lead agency for the United States Antarctic Program. … [Read more...]
FIRE IN ANTARCTIC OCEAN Aboard USCG’s Last Heavy Icebreaker
The 150-member crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star fought a fire at approximately 9 p.m. PST Feb. 10 that broke out in the ship's incinerator room about 650 miles north of McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. After initial response efforts using four fire extinguishers failed, fire crews spent almost two hours extinguishing the fire. Fire damage was contained inside the … [Read more...]
America’s Only Heavy Icebreaker Experienced Flooding, Engine Failure During Annual Antarctic Supply Mission
The United States' only operational heavy icebreaker suffered both flooding and engine failure during this year's icebreaking mission to Antarctica. Despite these challenges, however, the USCGC Polar Star completed its Antarctic mission this week in support of National Science Foundation (NSF) after cutting a resupply channel through 15 miles of ice in the Ross Sea and … [Read more...]
Heavy Icebreaker USCGC ‘Polar Star’ Departs Honolulu on Annual Resupply Mission to Antarctica
The United States’ only heavy icebreaker departed Honolulu on Friday bound for Antarctica as part of annual resupply mission for the U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP). During the mission, known as Operation Deep Freeze, the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star will establish a channel through 15 miles of ice in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, sometimes up to 10 feet in … [Read more...]
Ship Photos: U.S. Icebreaker ‘Polar Star’ Reaches McMurdo Station, Antarctica
The crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star arrived at the National Science Foundation’s McMurdo Station Tuesday after cutting a resupply channel through more than 60 miles of Antarctic ice in the Ross Sea. The path through the seasonal and multi-year ice helps the annual delivery of operating supplies and fuel for two of NSF's three U.S. research stations in … [Read more...]