10.10.2025
Airbus is one of the technical sponsors of Under Antarctica, the first snow-kiting expedition supporting polar research with glaciologist Heïdi Sevestre and polar explorer Matthieu Tordeur. From November 2025 to February 2026, Airbus technologies will support the explorers with maps for navigating on the ice and satcom services for communication and data transmission from Antarctica.
The Under Antartica story
On 3 November, 2025, the scientific expedition Under Antarctica set out on a journey. Heidi Sevestre, glaciologist and Matthieu Tordeur, polar explorer, will travel 4,000 km across Antarctica, on a mission to conduct scientific research on how the polar continent is responding to climate change. Airbus is proud to support this expedition with its space technologies for mapping and connectivity, helping advance both exploration and climate research.
Heidi Sevestre and Matthieu Tordeur continue their ascent towards 90° South latitude by snowkiting. They are currently approaching the 75th parallel, have reached an altitude of 3000 meters, and the nighttime temperature is -28°C. They have left the mountainous region and are entering the vast white expanse with only a single horizon line.
Crossing the Antarctic continent
Science in snow-kiting
Over 90 days, at -50°C and covering 3,650 km, the snow-kiting expedition opens up a new way to take ground measurements under extreme conditions but with a low impact on the environment. The goal is to delve into the recent and very old ice layers to understand how Antarctica reacted to past natural temperature changes, so as to better anticipate the future contribution of Antarctica to sea level rise. Towed by the explorers, two ground-penetrating radars will continuously take measurements of the ice thickness along the entire route.
A snow-kiting expedition to support polar research
Airbus technologies in Antarctica
Airbus is providing mapping and connectivity, a Sentinel-2 mosaic of the route will be used to identify terrain difficulties and avoid crevasses. These maps are produced from satellite images and they were tested during the 2024 Greenland expedition. Airbus equipped the explorers with communication and data transmission equipment for remote communication, rescue, regular transfer of information, photos, and video from Antarctica to the scientific and educational communities supporting this adventure.
Heïdi Sevestre and Matthieu Tordeur equipped for the ice
Connect by Under Antarctica
Under Antarctica is a low-carbon impact exploration aimed at raising awareness about the challenges of melting ice. Films, posts, and educational programs are planned to support the outreach efforts on the consequences for the future of the Earth and human civilizations.
