McMurdo Station

McMurdo Station
Antarctic base
McMurdo Station from Observation Hill
McMurdo Station Location of McMurdo Station in Antarctica
Coordinates: 77°50′47″S 166°40′06″E / 77.846323°S 166.668235°E / -77.846323; 166.668235
Country	United States
Location in Antarctica	Ross Island, Ross Dependency; claimed by New Zealand.
Administered by	United States Antarctic Program of the National Science Foundation
Established	16 February 1956; 68 years ago (1956-02-16)
Named for	Archibald McMurdo
Elevation [1]	10 m (30 ft)
Population  (2017)[1][2]
• Summer	1,000
• Winter	153
Time zone	UTC+12 (NZST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+13 (NZDT)
UN/LOCODE	AQ MCM
Type	All year-round
Period	Annual
Status	Operational
Activities	List Aeronomy Astrophysics Biology Geophysics Glacial geology Ocean and climate systems
Facilities[2]	List A harbor Landing strips Helicopter pad Repair facilities Dormitories Administrative buildings Firehouse Power plant Water distillation plant Wharf Stores Clubs Warehouses Above-ground water, sewer, telephone, and power lines Chapel of the Snows Interfaith Chapel Albert P. Crary Science and Engineering Center More than 85 buildings
Website	www.nsf.gov

McMurdo Station is an American Antarctic research station 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 (USAP), a branch of the National Science Foundation. The station is the largest community in Antarctica, capable of supporting up to 1,500 residents,^[1][3] and serves as one of three year-round United States Antarctic science facilities. All personnel and cargo going to or coming from Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station first pass through McMurdo. McMurdo Station continues to operate as the hub for American activities on the Antarctic continent. By road, McMurdo is 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) from New Zealand's smaller Scott Base.