In the interest of environmental and scientific research, MVS USA provided satellite communications equipment to the University of Maine, School of Marine Sciences, for its two month expedition to the Antarctic which started November 18, 1998 and commenced mid January 1999. Through it’s representative in Maine, Quest Telecom International; MVS USA donated the use of a portable Inmarsat global satellite telephone for the duration of the expedition. In addition MVS USA donated of a portion of the airtime charges in order to reduce the communications expense for the expedition.

Scientists from the University of Maine and the University of Southern Mississippi, under funding by the office of Polar Programs of the National Science Foundation, undertook to make measurements in the Southern Indian Ocean region of the Antarctic which address the question of what role the Antarctic Ocean plays in the cycling of global carbon dioxide. The U.S. members of the expedition led by Dr. Cynthia Pilskaln, U of Maine, collaborated with Chinese Scientists aboard the Chinese polar research vessel "Snow Dragon". The Snow Dragon took the international scientific team from Freemantel, Australia to the Zhongshan Station, Prydz Bay (Lat. S 70, Long. E 68). Upon completion of their experiments this month, the team boarded the Russian vessel, Capitan Klebnikov, and returned to Hobart, Australia.

While on station in the Antarctic, the U of M and U of S. Miss. scientists were are able to communicate home by voice, fax and e-mail, and to other place in the world using the portable system provided by MVS USA. Signals from the portable Mini-M were relayed by the Inmarsat Indian Ocean satellite, in geo-synchronous orbit over the equator, to the MVS USA. 015 Land Earth Station at Perth, Australia, where they were connected to the international switched public telephone system.

For information on the expedition, contact Dr. Cynthia Pilskaln, School of Marine Sciences, U of M, tel: 207 581 4381.