China develops ‘hot’ drill for Antarctic expedition

China announced it had completed controlled tests on its first hot-water drill, which is capable of drilling through 4,921 feet of ice and will be used for Antarctic research.

The fourth test of the drill was conducted at Jilin University in northeastern China’s Jilin province.

The drill, which uses pressurized hot water to melt and bore into ice, is capable of drilling into the Amery Ice Shelf in Antarctica, the assessment panel announced after an on-site review.

After further testing, the equipment should be used during China’s upcoming 34th Antarctic expedition in November.

Once it passes the Antarctic test, China will be the third country to have mastered hot water drilling deeper than 1,000 meters after the United States and Australia.