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Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star, a polar icebreaker, in drydock. Since the late 1970s, these 400-foot mammoths of the Coast Guard fleet, based in Seattle, Wash., have been traveling north and south for their primary mission of scientific and logistical support in both Polar Regions. Polar class icebreakers have a variety of missions while operating in polar regions. During Antarctic deployments, their primary missions include breaking a channel through the sea ice to resupply the McMurdo Research Station in the Ross Sea. Resupply ships using the channel to bring food, fuel, and other goods to make it through another winter. In addition, to these duties, Polar Star also serves as a scientific research platform with five laboratories and accommodations for up to 20 scientists. The "J"-shaped cranes and work areas near the stern and port side of ship give scientists the capability to do at-sea studies in the fields of geology, vulcanology, oceanography, sea-ice physics and other disciplines. U.S. COAST GUARD PHOTO

131211-G-CG123-1001.JPG Photo By: U.S. Coast Guard

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WASHINGTON, DC - Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star, a polar icebreaker, in drydock. Since the late 1970s, these 400-foot mammoths of the Coast Guard fleet, based in Seattle, Wash., have been traveling north and south for their primary mission of scientific and logistical support in both Polar Regions. Polar class icebreakers have a variety of missions while operating in polar regions. During Antarctic deployments, their primary missions include breaking a channel through the sea ice to resupply the McMurdo Research Station in the Ross Sea. Resupply ships using the channel to bring food, fuel, and other goods to make it through another winter. In addition, to these duties, Polar Star also serves as a scientific research platform with five laboratories and accommodations for up to 20 scientists. The "J"-shaped cranes and work areas near the stern and port side of ship give scientists the capability to do at-sea studies in the fields of geology, vulcanology, oceanography, sea-ice physics and other disciplines. U.S. COAST GUARD PHOTO

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