Beauty Encountered During Ice World Exploration

Keith’s note: Dale Andersen is back from the first of two Astrobiology expeditions to Lake Untersee, Antarctica in 2026. This excerpt and photo captures the awesome beauty that accompanies forays into potentially dangerous locations as we advance science via exploration. A preview of coming attractions on Artemis II. “Just beneath Untersee’s ice, my tether runs ahead toward the distant glimmer of the dive hole, the only passage back from the blue and solitary world below. As I swim, I hear the measured rhythm of my own breathing and, now and then, the voices of colleagues on the surface carried through a thin, yellow line into the earpieces of my Kirby Morgan Exo-26 full-face mask. They ask for an update, reminding me to check my air pressure. A glance at my air-integrated dive computer, a few quick words in reply, and all is well. Soon, after a brief three-minute safety stop beneath the dive hole, I will return to the surface through the three and half meters (about twelve feet) of ice.” Full Report