Antartica, USA

Executive summary by darmansjah

McMurdo Station is a U.S. Antarctic research centre located on the southern tip of Ross Island, which is in the New Zealand-claimed Ross Dependency on the shore of McMurdo Sound in Antarctica. It is operated by the United States through the United States Antarctic Program, a branch of the National Science Foundation. The station is the largest community in Antarctica, capable of supporting up to 1,258 residents, and serves as the United States Antarctic science facility. All personnel and cargo going to or coming from Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station first pass through McMurdo

Communications

For a time, McMurdo had Antarctica's only television station, AFAN-TV, running vintage programs provided by the military. The station's equipment was susceptible to "electronic burping" from the diesel generators that provide electricity in the outpost. The station was profiled in a 1974 article in TV Guide magazine. Now, McMurdo receives three channels of the US Military's American Forces Network, the Australia Network, and New Zealand news broadcasts. Television broadcasts are received by satellite at Black Island, and transmitted 25 miles (40 km) by digital microwave to McMurdo.

McMurdo Station receives both Internet and voice communications by satellite communications via the Optus D1 satellite and relayed to Sydney, Australia. A satellite dish at Black Island provides 20 Mbit/s Internet connectivity and voice communications. Voice communications are tied into the United States Antarctic Program headquarters in Centennial, Colorado, providing inbound and outbound calls to McMurdo from the US.

Transportation

McMurdo has a harbor, the world's most southern. There is a road from McMurdo to the South Pole, the South Pole Traverse.

McMurdo is serviced seasonally by three airports:

Pegasus Ice Runway (ICAO: NZPG), a permanent (Blue) ice runway near Black Island

Sea Ice Runway (ICAO: NZIR), an annual runway constructed on the sea ice nearest McMurdo Station

William’s Field (ICAO: NZWD), a permanent snow runway

A multitude of on- and off-road vehicles transport people and cargo around the area, including Ivan the Terra Bus

Point of Interest

Albert P. Crary Science and Engineering Center (CSEC)

Chapel of the Snows Interfaith Chapel

Observation Hill

Discovery Hut, built during Scott's 1901–1903 expedition

Williams Field airport

Memorial plaque to three airmen killed in 1946 while surveying the territory

Ross Island Disc Golf Course