A team of 251 members will leave on board the vessel Snow Dragon for China's 26th Antarctic exploration on Oct. 11, the State Oceanic Administration announced Wednesday.

Wei Wenliang, head of the Polar Expedition Office under the administration, said at a press conference held in Shanghai on Wednesday that the trip will last for about 180 days, and scientists will conduct 59 research projects during the trip.

He said the team will conduct regular researches at the two stations of Changcheng and Zhongshan, and build the third station, Kunlun at Dome Argus, the pole's highest icecap, 4,093 meters above the sea level.

In addition, the team will carry out geological and biologic research on the continent.

Wei said the team, which includes three members from Taiwan for the first time, will continue to study Grove Mountains, and collect meteorite samples there.

The exploration mission will be equipped with a heavy-duty helicopter and a light-duty helicopter, said Qin Weijia, deputy director of Polar Research Institute of China.

China is also in preparation to build a second exploration ship to boost its polar exploration capability, Wei said. The ship will have smaller tonnage, but larger horsepower and ice-breaking capability than Snow Dragon, he noted.

The new ship will be mainly responsible for scientific exploration, while Snow Dragon will be mainly responsible for transporting researchers and equipment, Wei added.

In January, China set up the Kunlun station at Dome Argus.

The Changcheng (Great Wall) Station, founded in February 1985, is south of King George Island. The Zhongshan Station, built in February 1989, is south of Prydz Bay on the Mirror Peninsula, eastern of the Larsemann Hills.

Six countries, including the United States, Russia, Japan, France, Italy and Germany, have built inland research stations in Antarctica.

China launched its first expedition to Antarctica in 1984.

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