China’s 42nd Antarctic Expedition: Record Drilling Achieved

Members of China’s 42nd Antarctic scientific expedition have shared their most memorable experiences from a seven-month mission that pushed the boundaries of polar research. The expedition, which ran from November 2025 to May 2026, involved two icebreakers and 550 personnel from 125 institutions, achieving breakthroughs including a world-record hot water drilling depth and the successful testing of domestically developed polar vehicles, according to People’s Daily.

Expedition Overview

The 42nd expedition began on November 1, 2025, when both the “Xuelong” (Snow Dragon) and “Xuelong 2” icebreakers departed simultaneously from Shanghai. “Xuelong” returned on April 9, 2026, after 160 days and approximately 34,000 nautical miles, while “Xuelong 2” completed an additional autumn survey mission before returning on May 18, 2026, after 199 days and roughly 35,000 nautical miles, as Xinhua News Agency reported.

Organized by China’s Ministry of Natural Resources, the expedition set a new record for scale with 550 team members from 125 domestic and international institutions, according to China News Service.

World-Record Hot Water Drilling

One of the expedition’s most significant achievements came on February 5, 2026, when the team successfully completed China’s first Antarctic ice-layer hot water drilling test at the Qilin Subglacial Lake in East Antarctica. The drill reached a depth of 3,413 meters, breaking the previous international record of 2,540 meters, China.com reported.

This milestone marks China’s capability to conduct drilling research on over 90 percent of the Antarctic ice sheet and the entire Arctic ice sheet. Jiang Su, a member of the inland subglacial lake team who participated in the drilling, described the atmosphere at the moment of breakthrough: “When the drilling depth achieved a breakthrough, no one cheered excitedly. Everyone kept their eyes on the monitoring screens, cautiously advancing each step.” Jiang, the first female team member to reach the farthest and highest-altitude inland area of Antarctica for on-site scientific work, told People’s Daily that the team prioritized safety and system stability over the excitement of breaking records.

Testing the “Snow Leopard” Polar Vehicle

The domestically developed “Snow Leopard” 6×6 wheeled polar vehicle underwent 75 days of extreme testing, achieving 12,772 kilometers of “zero-fault” reliable operation across sea ice, gravel, soft snow, hard snow, and solid ice terrain. Sun Peng, deputy leader of the inland team who led the testing, recalled a particularly grueling session at the Hart Mountain region’s wind-scoured cliffs. After driving continuously for 18 hours, Sun navigated the vehicle through 120 kilometers of rapid ascent and descent tests on an 18-degree slope covered with smooth ice and crevasses.

“Extreme testing is a test of will, technology, and physical fitness,” Sun told People’s Daily. “Everyone always upheld the belief that ‘the task is arduous, and if not us, then who?’”

First Autumn Southern Ocean Survey

China conducted its first autumn survey of the Southern Ocean in Prydz Bay, overcoming severe ice conditions, strong winds, and low temperatures. The team completed 101 comprehensive station surveys across both summer and autumn seasons. Cao Shunan, captain of the “Xuelong 2” ocean team on her 15th polar expedition, emphasized the significance of the work: “Our work is to unlock the ecological code of the polar region; every set of data is hard-won.”

The expedition also deployed China’s first mesoscale eddy observation array in the Southern Ocean’s westerly wind belt and its first domestic submarine seismometer array near the Antarctic Peninsula, marking significant advances in China’s autonomous polar observation capabilities.

International Rescue and Cooperation

The expedition’s “Snow Eagle 601” aircraft, China’s first polar fixed-wing aircraft, completed approximately 104,000 kilometers of flight, transporting 207 personnel and 7.18 tons of supplies while covering 14,400 square kilometers in scientific survey. In November 2025, the aircraft conducted an international rescue mission, evacuating an ill Russian researcher from Mirny Station to Progress Station and later transferring the patient to Novolazarevskaya Station for an international flight.

“Living and working here depends on the mutual assistance of Antarctic expedition members from all countries,” Zhu Biao, aviation operations team leader, told People’s Daily.

Qinling Station and Forward Look

The expedition marked the Qinling Station’s transition into operational investigation and monitoring, described by expedition leader Wei Fuhai as its “coming of age” ceremony following its establishment during the 40th expedition in 2024. The station is China’s fifth Antarctic research facility and is designed for year-round operation.

With an average age of just 27.75 years and female members comprising 44 percent of the “Xuelong 2” ocean team, the expedition reflects a broader trend toward youth participation and gender diversity in Chinese polar science. As Jiang Su reflected: “In a warm team, no one fights alone. For me, this was not only a scientific research mission but also a life journey of pushing beyond limits.”