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ANTARCTICA TO AUSTRALIA - NEW ZEALAND
SMART CABLE SYSTEM
The National Science Foundation
McMurdo Station is the largest U.S. Antarctic Program research station. It is
managed by the NSF’s Office of Polar Programs and serves as the logistical entry and staging
point for the bulk of U.S. activity in Antarctica.
McMurdo Station provides the essential logistical hub for U.S. science research in Antarctica.
Essentially a self-contained small town with a population that can reach 1,000, it represents
the largest single human outpost in Antarctica, yet shares a single Internet network service
that ranks its speed 68th out of 184 countries for median household speed.
As a result, the NSF’s Office of Polar Programs and the NSF Office of Advanced
Cyberinfrastructure are exploring the feasibility of a Science Monitoring and Reliable
Telecommunications (SMART) Submarine Fiber Optic Cable system connecting McMurdo
Station with the global Research and Education Network Infrastructure via Australia or
New Zealand.
This Desktop Study examines a preliminary cable route, potential landings, optimal technical
design, and the installation and maintenance options for this innovative cable connection.
~Patrick Smith, 2023
Office of Polar Programs, External Communications, National Science Foundation
3415 Eisenhower Avenue, Suite W7100, Alexandria, VA 22314 Email: oppcomms@nsf.gov