Creation of the new wintering complex of Antarctic station "Vostok" was completed at the site of the pilot plant of building structures in Gatchina.

The control assembly of the complex started at the beginning of May this year. It consists of three storey building, where working and technical areas, living and recreation rooms, gymnasium, isolation ward with operating room, rooms for researchers, kitchen and canteen are located.

In the near future, the complex will be dismantled and sent to a port to be delivered to Antarctica. It will replace the infrastructure that now exists at the station, which is more than 60 years old.

Accommodation in the module will be provided for 35 polar explorers in the seasonal period and 15 persons - in the winter period. There is also a two-year fuel and food stock.

Recall, Vostok station was created in 1957. Now it is the only domestic inland Antarctic station. During the time of its existence the station went through two reconstructions and three mothballs. At the moment the infrastructure needs complete replacement as the old buildings are not only in the hazardous condition but partly or completely buried under the snow at the depth of 3 to 5 meters.

The Gatchina plant is the only enterprise in the country that already has experience in creating these complexes.

As one of the participants in the design of the plant, the investor in the development of the plant module and head of "Novatek" Leonid Mikhelson said, the life support systems of the new plant were built with a six to eightfold safety margin.

He called the construction a unique structure and noted that the cubic content of rooms per person will be minimal here. Thus, it is now guaranteed that people will be able to stay at the station for 10 months a year without any communications.

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Author: Ksenia Gustova