The extreme environment of the South Pole poses numerous challenges for those who work there, especially during the winter. One difficulty is simply dealing with things that break. You can’t just order a replacement online. Planning ahead helps, as does a well-equipped machine shop, which as of this winter boasts a 3D printer, above. Handy.
Last week was clear (and cold!), and IceCube’s winterovers found themselves working outside as well as inside. Now that it’s dark enough, they removed light-protection coverings from the new IceAct telescopes. Indoors they were troubleshooting some issues with antenna connections and were replacing hard drives. Another active week.
