2026 in Antarctica

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See also:	Other events of 2026 Timeline of Antarctic history

This is a list of events occurring in Antarctica in 2026 .

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Events

Ongoing

• Climate change in Antarctica ^[1]

January

• 2 January — Glaciologist Heidi Sevestre and explorer Matthieu Tordeur reach the South pole on the 61st day of their ice mapping "Under Antarctica" snowkiting expedition. ^[2]
• 4 January – The South Korean National Geographic Information Institute (NGII) announces 16 Korean names for geographic features around Jang Bogo Station, selected from proposals by the country's public for submission to the Composite Gazetteer of Antarctica. ^[3]
• 5 January – NASA scientific balloon which carries Payload for Ultrahigh Energy Observations (PUEO) starts its ascent into the air, after its launch on 20 December 2025. ^{[4] [5]}
• 6 January
  • Astrobiologist Dale Andersen and his team fly aboard an IL-76TD from Cape Town to Novolazarevskaya Station before an overland traverse to their camp at Lake Untersee for research coordinated by the SETI Institute. ^{[6] [7] [8] [9]}
  • Participants of the 34th Bulgarian Antarctic expedition celebrate Epiphany at St. Kliment Ohridski Base, Livingston Island. ^[10]
• 7 January
  • A new Australian ice core drill, designed by the Australian Antarctic Division for the Million Year Ice Core (MYIC) project, collects its first ice core at the Dome C North drilling site (1,200 km from Casey Station). ^[11]
  • The South Korean icebreaker RV Araon with nearly 40 scientists aboard reaches the Thwaites glacier after a 12-day journey from New Zealand and its research campaign begins. ^[12]
• 8 January
  • The Bulgarian research vessel Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii visits the Spanish Gabriel de Castilla Base on Deception Island to deliver supplies. ^[13]
  • A new group of logisticians arrives at the Bulgarian St. Kliment Ohridski Base after traveling by plane from Punta Arenas to King George Island and then aboard Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii. ^[14]
  • U.S. National Ice Center estimates the remaining area of the iceberg A23a in early January at 1,182 square kilometers. ^[15]
• 9 January
  • Colin O'Brady becames the first person to cross the Ross Ice Shelf solo and unsupported. ^[16]
  • Scientists aboard the Australian icebreaker RSV Nuyina study wildlife and landscape of Heard Island on the vessel's second visit this season. ^[17]

See also

• 2026 in science
• 2026 in spaceflight

References

1. "How to save Antarctica (and the rest of Earth too) | Imperial News". Imperial College London. 2018-06-13. Retrieved 2025-12-31.
2. "D61 - The South Pole after 61 Days and 2,700 km of expedition | News | Under Antarctica Expedition". Under Antarctica. Retrieved 2026-01-08.
3. CHOSUNBIZ (2026-01-04). "Korea names Antarctic peak Cheonghaebong and seeks international registration". CHOSUNBIZ. Retrieved 2026-01-04.
4. "Scientific Balloon Begins Antarctic Ascent - NASA".
5. "Soaring over Antarctica: UH balloon mission seeks to decode universe's mysteries". UH News.
6. Cowing, Keith (2026-01-06). "Dale Andersen's Astrobiology Antarctic Status Report: 6 January 2026: Flying South to Novolazarevskaya Station, Antarctica". Astrobiology. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
7. Cowing, Keith (2026-01-06). "Astrobiology Expedition to Lake Untersee Antarctica Is Underway". NASA Watch. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
8. Cowing, Keith (2026-01-07). "Dale Andersen's Astrobiology Antarctic Status Report: 7 January 2026: Arrival At Novolazarevskaya Station, Antarctica". Astrobiology. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
9. "Dale Andersen 2026 Antarctic Field Season". www.seti.org. Retrieved 2026-01-09.
10. "Alexander Naydenov pulled the cross out of the icy waters of Antarctica". Fakti.bg - Да извадим фактите наяве (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2026-01-07.
11. "Australia's deep drill cuts its first Antarctic ice core – Australian Antarctic Program (News 2026)". www.antarctica.gov.au. 2026-01-07. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
12. Zhong, Raymond (7 January 2026). "The Icebreaker Reaches the Thwaites Glacier, and the Science Begins". The New York Times.
13. "RSV 421 Delivers Equipment for Laboratory at Spanish Antarctic Base". www.bta.bg. Retrieved 2026-01-08.
14. "New Logistics Team Joins Bulgarian Antarctic Expedition". www.bta.bg. Retrieved 2026-01-09.
15. "Meltwater Turns Iceberg A-23A Blue - NASA Science". 2026-01-08. Retrieved 2026-01-08.
16. "Exclusive: Colin O'Brady makes historic crossing of Antarctica's Ross Ice Shelf". NBC News. Retrieved 2026-01-09.
17. "Scientists study wildlife, landscape on second voyage to unique Heard Island and McDonald Islands – Australian Antarctic Program (News 2026)". www.antarctica.gov.au. 2026-01-09. Retrieved 2026-01-09.