40th Indian Scientific Expedition To Antarctica

40th Indian Scientific Expedition To Antarctica

Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Sci & Tech; Achievements of Indians

In news

• India launched the 40th scientific expedition to Antarctica.

Key takeaways 

• This Indian expedition marks four decades of India’s scientific endeavour to the Antarctica.
• The 40th expedition journey will be flagged off from Goa on January 5, 2021, with 43 members onboard.
• The chartered ice-class vessel MV Vasiliy Golovnin will make this journey and will reach Antarctica in 30 days.
• After leaving behind a team of 40 members, it would return to India in April 2021. 
• On return, it will also bring back the winter team of the preceding trip.
  

Do you know?

• The Indian Antarctic expeditions began in 1981. 
• The Indian Antarctic programme has now been credited to have built three permanent research base stations in Antarctica—named Dakshin Gangotri, Maitri, and Bharati. 
• As of today, India has two operational research stations in Antarctica named Maitri and Bharati.
• The National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), Goa, manages the entire Indian Antarctic program.