China's Snow Leopard Shatters Antarctic Tests
Throughout a 75-day evaluation period, the Snow Leopard 6×6 wheeled system covered distances exceeding 10,000 kilometers (6,213 miles) while navigating the continent's unforgiving frozen landscapes, media reported. Testing protocols subjected the vehicle to five distinct surface conditions: solid ice, hard snow, soft snow, gravel, and sea ice formations.
The wheeled design marks a departure from conventional tracked machinery deployed in polar operations, which generally cruise at approximately 20 kilometers per hour. Performance metrics revealed the Snow Leopard achieved substantially faster velocities—averaging 28 km/h when traversing soft snow terrain and 42 km/h across harder snow surfaces. Peak velocity reached 65 km/h on solid ice platforms.
Integration into China's 42nd Antarctic expedition allowed the vehicle to facilitate rapid inter-station transit while bolstering emergency response protocols and logistical capabilities. Scientists emphasized the platform dramatically extends operational range and mission efficiency for Chinese research activities across the southern polar region.
The mission launched from Shanghai on Nov. 1, 2025, encompassing broader scientific objectives including subglacial lake drilling operations. Expedition leader and chief scientist Wei Fuhai indicated research teams will deploy Chinese-manufactured hot-water and thermal-melting drill technologies to extract pristine samples from beneath ice formations surpassing 3,000 meters in depth.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
