Yesterday (Nov. 18) we got our first look at the Long Duration Balloon base (LDB)! Bad weather in October meant that there were significant delays in setting up the base while the crew teams at McMurdo worked on more pressing issues like building up the ice runways on the airfields, and opening the rest of the base. After several days of amazing effort the site is almost ready for us to move in! LDB sits over the hill from McMurdo near the pressure ridges, Scott Base, and the two US Antarctic Program airfields, Phoenix and Williams (“Willy”) Field. The view from the site is dominated by Mt. Erebus, an enormous active volcano which sits about 25 miles away, puffing smoke!
Our little shipping container in front of Mt Erebus 
The LDB science high bays (left), rigging shop, and comms building 
Randall in front of SuperTiger in the highbay after its winter-over 
Inside the high bay doors 
Our future home for the next few months! 
Super cool Mattrack pickup 
Nathan P. Lourie 