discovery building Archives - British Antarctic Survey

A penguin standing in front of a blue wall

Special delivery for Antarctica

13 December, 2025

The staff at the UK’s Rothera Research Station in Antarctica have been gifted an iconic Royal Mail ‘lamp’ post box featuring the King Charles III cypher – just in time …

20 November 2025: Postcard from Rothera Research Station

20 November, 2025

Discovery Building takes shape The latest update from Rothera, our largest research station in Antarctica, where construction work on the new Discovery Building is advancing well as the summer season …

Discovery Building comes to life in a milestone new season for British Antarctic Survey

24 October, 2025

The 2025 – 2026 Antarctic season is a landmark for the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and its Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Project (AIMP), as the new Discovery Building begins to take …

A sign on the side of a large building with snow on the ground around it

17 September 2025: Postcard from Rothera Research Station

17 September, 2025

17 September 2025: Postcard from Rothera Research Station The British Antarctic Survey’s (BAS) wintering team continues to make progress on our new science and operations facility, the Discovery Building at Rothera Research …

A group of people standing on top of a snow covered mountain

End of season milestone: Discovery Building lights the way forward

24 June, 2025

As the 2024/25 Antarctic construction season comes to a close, the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) marks a crucial milestone in the modernisation of Rothera Research Station, as the Discovery Building …

Major Antarctic operations hub switches on to support UK polar science

27 May, 2025

The British Antarctic Survey’s (BAS) new scientific support and operations facility, the Discovery Building, is now coming into operational use at Rothera Research Station in Antarctica. Marking a major milestone …

14 March 2025: Postcard from Rothera Research Station

14 March, 2025

Here’s our sixth postcard from Rothera Research Station – Discovery Building progress! Power generation milestone Our Combined Heat and Power (CHP) generators are now operating 24/7 at Rothera Research Station, …

12 February 2025: Postcard from Rothera Research Station

12 February, 2025

Here’s our fifth postcard from Rothera, where exciting changes are transforming our largest Antarctic research station this month! A new wind deflector The new Discovery Building is taking shape with …

6 December 2024: Postcard from Rothera Research Station

6 December, 2024

Welcome to our third Postcard from Rothera Research Station, giving you an update on the latest progress as we modernise our largest station in Antarctica. Summer season in full swing …

A large blue building with a snow covered mountain in the background

New construction season drives Antarctic modernisation forward

4 November, 2024

A new season of construction is underway in Antarctica for the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). Specialist teams are arriving at Rothera, the UK’s largest research station and gateway for international …

A new Antarctic season begins for 2024/25

24 October, 2024

The Antarctic field season is now underway, marked by the arrival of the first aircraft at Rothera Research Station. And with a new season brings a new roster of innovative …

A large blue building that is covered in snow

Modernisation milestones achieved in Antarctica

10 July, 2024

Construction teams have completed significant stages of the British Antarctic Survey’s (BAS) Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme and joined the over-wintering staff for the first time as the 2023/24 summer season ended. The improvements, led by BAM and technical advisors Ramboll will transform future science and operations at Rothera, the UK’s largest polar research station in Antarctica.

Journey to the Antarctic: a virtual visit to Rothera Research Station

Aimed at KS2, children have the opportunity to find out about the facilities at Rothera research station and the challenges faced in trying to modernise it without impacting upon this special environment. They can ask questions to a scientist, pilot and engineers on station.

Aerial view of runway and large blue building and blue sea in background

Katie’s Journey to Antarctica

2 April, 2024 Katie Handford

As the Antarctic winter season fast approaches, we’ll be following the journey of one of the Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme’s (AIMP) Assistant Project Managers, Katie Handford as she gears up to spend winter at Rothera Research Station in Antarctica.

A yellow construction crane in front of a new blue building with blue sky above

Modernising our stations: news from Rothera

29 February, 2024

We’ve been modernising our Antarctic infrastructure for future generations of polar scientists. Construction in the Antarctic is challenging and the Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme (AIMP) has made great progress at …

A blue building with a control tower on the roof and white snowy mountains in the background with a blue sky above

Construction first for British Antarctic Survey as specialist team fit-out new building over the Antarctic winter

27 November, 2023

Construction has begun in Antarctica for the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) with specialists arriving at Rothera Research Station to progress several projects to secure the future of polar operations and …

Cleaning the All-Sky Camera portal on top of the optical caboose at Rothera Research Station

2023-2024 field season begins for British Antarctic Survey

19 October, 2023

The Antarctic field season has started, with over 600 people beginning the journey South to work on over 60 projects on station and in the field. The season of work …

Exterior complete for new Antarctic science and operations facility

3 April, 2023

A new scientific and operational support facility at Rothera Research Station for British Antarctic Survey has been made weathertight, with the cladding complete and an operations tower installed.

Skis in snow with body of water against snow covered mountains

First journey to Rothera

1 February, 2023 Kathleen Maclean

Simeon Anastasov, Principal Fire Engineer at OFR Consultants, is currently working at Rothera Research Station providing site supervision as part of the Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme (AIMP). In this blog …

Antarctica drawing competition launches

2 November, 2022

The British Antarctic Survey and its partners are launching a drawing competition for schools, to inspire the next generation of polar engineers, scientists and explorers. School children between the ages …

A boat is docked next to a body of water

From Inverness to Antarctica: meeting (supply chain) milestones

27 January, 2022 Joseph Stebbing

Joe Stebbing, Assistant Project Manager, AIMP at British Antarctic Survey on how we are meeting our (supply chain) milestones. January has marked a momentous milestone for the Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation …

The RRS Sir David Attenborough polar research ship in a body of water in Antarctica

The challenges of running Antarctic stations during a pandemic

21 December, 2021 Christopher Robert Lloyd

Christopher Robert Lloyd, Contract Manager for Ramboll, will be working in Antarctica on constructing the new scientific support facility at Rothera, the Discovery Building. He first travelled to Antarctica in …

Communications Tower roof assembled at Teesport, ready for shipment

From Scotland to Antarctica: trial construction of new Antarctic communications tower in Kintore

7 December, 2021

A full trial assembly of a specialist air communications tower for a British Antarctic Research Station has been constructed this autumn in Scotland, ahead of its shipping to Antarctica this month. …

The Discovery Building site marked out with flags and scaffolding

BLOG: Journey into polar engineering

23 June, 2021 Katie Handford

This International Women in Engineering Day 2021, Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme Trainee Project Manager Katie Handford shares her journey into polar engineering. I started in high school designing, building and racing 24V electrically powered …

BAM diggers moving snow for the new Discovery Building

Challenges of Construction in Antarctica

12 March, 2021 Christopher Robert Lloyd

Christopher Robert Lloyd, Site Supervisor for Ramboll, is currently working in Antarctica constructing the new scientific support facility at Rothera, the Discovery Building. He travelled to Antarctica in December 2020 …

Life in Antarctica

15 February, 2021 Livia Oldland

Billy Thursfield, Sub-Agent for BAM, is currently working on the construction of the new science and operations facility at Rothera Research Station, the Discovery Building. Here he reflects on working …

The Discovery Building

The Discovery Building will be a new world-class scientific support and operations facility at Rothera Research Station in Antarctica.

Research outputs