Expeditions timeline

Following the Windsled’s official inclusion as a research infrastructure within the Spanish Polar Program, this expedition will be the first official scientific crossing of Antarctica. The planned route will cover Novo – South Pole – Vostok – Concordia, further advancing zero-emission exploration in polar research.

The goal is to navigate from the Upernavik ice cap to the east coast and return, marking the first attempt to establish a circumnavigation route of northern Greenland’s ice cap. This expedition will also define the logistics for surface access between the sea and the Upernavik Windsled Camp.
By achieving this, the foundation will be laid for conducting annual scientific research expeditions across northern Greenland’s ice cap, with Upernavik as the operational base.

This expedition marked a major leap in Windsled’s capacity and size. For the first time, a sled made up of five modules, 18 meters in length, was tested. With a crew of eight, it successfully hauled three tons of equipment.
Aka Simonsen became the first Greenlandic woman to travel aboard the Windsled.
The electrification of the vehicle began, increasing its power generation capacity to 400 watts.
The expedition concluded on the ice near Upernavik, the chosen base for future scientific exploration of northern Greenland using the Windsled. Additionally, it opened the first surface route providing access from the ice cap to the sea near Upernavik.

The first expedition after the pandemic, opening a previously unexplored route: the first-ever circumnavigation of Greenland’s South Dome. Windsled, composed of four modules and a team of six, covered 1,000 km.
The most significant milestone of this expedition was the discovery of an uncharted nunatak in the Ice Glacier, which was named “Windsled Harbour.”

Madrid hosted an international symposium bringing together Spanish, European, and American researchers who had collaborated on the Inuit Windsled project. The event aimed to assess and reflect on its potential as a scientific research vehicle.
Following the symposium and a survey conducted among the scientific community, the Windsled was recognized for its zero-emission capabilities and scientific potential. As a result, it was deemed relevant to be officially incorporated into the Spanish Antarctic Program, a decision that was formalized in 2022.

The first scientific expedition in Antarctica using the Windsled. During this circumnavigation, the team conducted ten research projects with a crew of four.
The expedition reached the summit of Dome Fuji and visited the abandoned “Plateau Station.”
This was a highly challenging expedition due to the lack of wind in some areas, requiring a round trip back to the starting position.
For this mission, the Windsled consisted of three modules and was capable of transporting two tons of equipment using kites up to 150 meters in size. This expedition laid the foundation for incorporating the Windsled into Spain’s National Antarctic Program as a research platform.

At the annual international meeting of COMNAP (Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs), Ramón Larramendi presented the Windsled concept for the first time, showcasing its potential to collect scientific data in Antarctica in a completely clean and sustainable manner.

Windsled carried out the first international scientific expedition on the Greenland Ice Cap with an American researcher on board, Ross Edwards. Greenlander Jens Jacob Simonsen from Qaqortoq also joined the expedition for the first time.
The expedition concluded at the base of the international EastGRIP (EGRIP) project, a scientific facility located at the center of the most significant ice stream in eastern Greenland.

For the first time, the Windsled was made up of four modules, with a crew of six, capable of transporting up to two tons of equipment. The expedition reached the Summit scientific station at the peak of the ice cap. On the east coast, for the first time, a crew change was carried out using a helicopter from Tasiilaq, completing a circumnavigation of the central plateau.

Windsled became the first vehicle to navigate around Greenland’s ice cap.
Now composed of three modules, the Windsled significantly increased its scientific capacity, incorporating international projects. The crew grew to five members, and the sled was capable of pulling 1,500 kg. Greenlander Hugo Svenson became the first local participant in a Windsled expedition.

A major milestone for Spanish scientific research, as the first scientific investigations using the Windsled took place during this 3,500 km expedition in 34 days. Researcher Juan Pablo Albar joined the expedition, and the Windsled became the first zero-emission vehicle to reach the South Pole.
At this stage, Windsled evolved into a convoy consisting of two modules capable of pulling around 1,100 kg. Each sled had five rails, the crew expanded to four people, and an 80-meter kite was used.

In the fall of 2006, members of the Transantarctic expedition visited the Grenoble Institute. While speaking with renowned glaciologist Jean Robert Petit and other researchers, the French scientists suggested that the Windsled had the potential to become a low-cost, completely clean scientific research platform. This marked the beginning of its development for research purposes.

Juanma Viu, Ignacio Oficialdegui, and Ramón Larramendi completed the first crossing of the Antarctic continent using a zero-emission vehicle, sailing across the continent. This expedition proved that navigation through the Antarctic interior is possible.

The team consisted of three people using a single 6-meter sled, with a maximum kite size of 60 meters. They set a record stage of 311 km.

The first East-West crossing, also with three team members. This expedition introduced a sled model with detachable rails. The largest kite used increased to 48 meters.

Repeating the South-North Greenland crossing, this time with three team members on a single sled of the same length but with a larger tent. The largest kite used was 28 meters.

A two-person team used a single, larger sled measuring 6 meters with four rails and a closed tent on top. They covered 421 km in just 24 hours, proving the incredible efficiency of the concept and completing the Narsaq-Qaanaaq route for the first time. The largest kite used was 35 meters.

The first journey across the inland ice. The sled measured 4 meters, consisting of four tied rails and a tent with only a double roof on top. The team comprised four people using two independent sleds.

The first experiments with kite-powered sled movement took place in the Pyrenees in February 2000. The first official test of the concept was conducted in the Great Slave Lakes region of Canada. Two prototypes were tested: the first, made of fiberglass and inspired by racing catamarans, and the second, based on the traditional Inuit dog sled model. Contrary to general belief, the Inuit-inspired design proved to be superior.

During this 1,000 km journey on skis and pulkas, Ramón Larramendi conceived the idea of navigating the ice sheets of Greenland with a sled-boat powered by kites.

At just 24 years old, Ramón Larramendi embarked on the Circumpolar Expedition, connecting most Inuit settlements across the Arctic. Following the Inuit way, he travelled solely by dog sled and kayak from Greenland to Alaska. Between 1990 and 1993, during this long journey, he lived closely with the Inuit people of Greenland, Canada, and Alaska. From them, he learned their techniques, survival skills, and way of thinking. This deep cultural immersion, learning, and respect laid the foundation for what would later become the Windsled concept.