The U.S. Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station is the southernmost continuously inhabited place on Earth since its construction in 1957. Resupply of the station is an annual necessity involving significant cost and risk. During the October-to-February summer season flights of LC-130 Hercules aircraft arrive at the pole from McMurdo Station, which is 1000 miles distant on Ross Island.

This research is motivated by the potential for robotic traverse to the South Pole. Our goals are to increase the average traverse speed and path accuracy and to decrease the fuel consumption, driver stress and expedition risk. We will accomplish this by incorporating state-of-art autonomous navigation technology into the convoy tractors.