Official message The National Antarctic Research Center of Ukraine of July 21, 2026 confirms the strengthening of Ukraine's position as a full-fledged and high-tech player in the global polar community. In the next Antarctic season of 2026–2027, two international scientific projects will be launched at the Ukrainian station "Akademik Vernadsky" and on board the flagship research icebreaker "Noosphere".
This international transfer of technology and knowledge was made possible by Ukraine's successful integration into the European POLARIN consortium under the EU's Horizon Europe grant program. POLARIN brings together 64 polar infrastructure facilities from around the world, and access to Ukrainian assets is granted to foreign scientific groups following rigorous international competitions.
MICROAIRPOLAR Project: Genetic Analysis of Microbial Aerosol and Melting Modeling
The first winning project, MICROAIRPOLAR, is being implemented by an international team of scientists from the Autonomous University of Madrid (Spain) and Northumbria University (UK). Its goal is to decipher the mechanisms of aerosol transport of microbial communities between the Earth's polar regions.
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MicroAirCollector hardware complex: Specialized MicroAirCollector measuring equipment for flow-through filtration and automatic sampling of microorganisms directly from air masses will be installed at three stations in the Arctic and three in Antarctica (in particular, at the Akademik Vernadsky station).
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DNA sequencing and supercomputer modeling: The obtained biological samples will be subjected to genetic analysis. Using high-performance computing models, scientists will construct global air mass trajectories to trace the transcontinental transfer of bacteria between the Arctic and Antarctic.
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Ecological context of global warming: In polar regions, where glaciers are rapidly retreating due to rapid global warming, microorganisms are the "pioneers" that colonize bare rock and soil surfaces. The study will help predict the evolution of biodiversity and changes in South Pole ecosystems.
TRICUSO-FLOATS Project: Autonomous argobuoys for carbon balance measurement
The second project, TRICUSO-FLOATS, is aimed at addressing the significant discrepancies between mathematical models and actual measurements of carbon uptake by the Southern Ocean. The program is being implemented by scientists from the National Oceanographic Centre (UK), the Norwegian Research Centre and the Sorbonne University (France).
According to preliminary oceanographic data, the Southern Ocean absorbs about 40% of the total carbon dioxide (CO₂) held by all the world's oceans combined, despite occupying only 20% (1/5) of their total area. However, the lack of regular automated observations in remote latitudes creates high uncertainty in climate projections.
To solve this problem, 6 autonomous Argo Floats will be launched from the Ukrainian icebreaker Noosphere in the area of South Georgia Island. The cis-equipped oceanographic robots are equipped with high-precision measuring equipment:
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Sensors for total alkalinity and dissolved inorganic carbon content;
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High-precision pH and dissolved oxygen (O₂) sensors;
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Acoustic wind sensors to correlate indicators with turbulence and near-surface turbulent exchange.
Parameters and specifications of new research programs based on Vernadsky and Noosphere
This structure demonstrates the integration of Ukrainian polar assets into a global scientific consortium.
| Title of the research project | Location and technical base of the National Academy of Sciences | Partner institutions | Key technological and scientific goal |
| MICROAIRPOLAR | "Academician Vernadsky" station, MicroAirCollector equipment | Autonomous University of Madrid (Spain), Northumbria University (United Kingdom) | Genetic DNA profiling of airborne microorganisms, modeling colonization of ice-free lands |
| TRICUSO-FLOATS | Icebreaker "Noosphere", launch of 6 autonomous argobuoys near South Georgia Island | National Oceanographic Centre (UK), NORCE (Norway), Sorbonne University (France) | Measuring alkalinity, pH, O₂ and CO₂ to accurately estimate the absorption of 40% of the world's carbon by the Southern Ocean |
| POLARIN umbrella program | Consortium of 64 EU Global Polar Infrastructures | Horizon Europe Program | Free competitive access for international scientists to the Ukrainian icebreaker and Antarctic station |
HiTech Expert Take: Why Integration into POLARIN is Proof of Ukraine's Sovereign Technological Capability
Expert Insight: The victory of the MICROAIRPOLAR and TRICUSO-FLOATS projects in the POLARIN competition is the best answer to any accusations of the “isolation” of Ukrainian science. The presence of its own high-tech assets — the modern Akademik Vernadsky station with a continuous series of meteorological observations and the oceanographic icebreaker Noosphere — makes Ukraine an equal partner of leading scientific institutions in the UK, France, Spain and Norway. This allows Ukrainian scientists not only to provide a platform, but also to be directly involved in the processing of Big Data on global climate change and the genetic diversity of the planet.
The use of autonomous ocean argobuoys and automated MicroAirCollector aerosol collectors directly resonates with the fundamental principles Ukrainian MilTech: maximum automation, use of noise-resistant sensors and work with data arrays in real time. The experience that Ukrainian oceanographers and IT specialists gain during the deployment and maintenance of satellite argobuoys in the extremely difficult conditions of the Southern Ocean is further converted into the development of sovereign marine robotic complexes and reconnaissance sensors to protect our civil and defense maritime infrastructure.
HiTech Expert Analytical Department
