Concordia research base in the Antarctic.
Aircraft take off on an almost daily basis during the summer. Concordia is a hubbub of activity as researchers from disciplines as diverse as astronomy, seismology, human physiology and glaciology descend to work in this unique location.
For the rest of the year, around 14 crewmembers remain to keep the station running during the cold, dark winter months.
ESA sponsors a research medical doctor in Concordia to study the effects of living in isolation. The extreme cold, sensory deprivation and remoteness make living in Concordia similar to living on another planet.