In an interview with TASS, Russian parachutist Kornienko revealed his plans to perform a parachute jump from the stratosphere to the Antarctic between 2025 and 2026. He explained that this project comes after he carried out last year, with a group of Russian paratroopers, a jump from the stratosphere to the North Pole. He added: “The next logical step is to carry out the same experiment on the other side of the globe.”

Kornienko pointed out that it is unlikely that the group will land at the geographic pole directly due to the presence of the American Amundsen-Scott station, but they are planning to jump in the area of ​​​​the Russian Vostok station, carrying parachutes in the colors of the Russian flag to draw attention to their presence.

He added: “Before that, we are planning a training jump to the Russian Progress base on the Antarctic coast from a height of 6 kilometers, if possible.” As for the jump from the stratosphere to the Antarctic, it is expected to be carried out next winter during the summer of the Antarctic continent, or early next year.

Kornienko explained that the mission will pose a logistical and financial challenge, as its cost will be 5-7 times higher than last year’s mission, due to the Il-76 plane being transported to the South Pole and refueling there.

It is noteworthy that Kornienko and his team set a record last year after jumping from an Il-76 plane from a height of more than 10,000 meters to the North Pole, where they continued to fall in free fall for about two minutes before opening their parachutes at an altitude of about one kilometer from the ground.

Source: TASS