More than 260 members will board the vessel Snow Dragon for China's 26th Antarctic exploration in early October, said the State Oceanic Administration.

The scientific expedition team will start its trip on October 11 and plans to return on April 10, 2010. The trip will last about 180 days.

Wei Wenliang, an official for polar expedition affairs with the State Oceanic Administration, said the upcoming exploration would be the longest in the country's polar expedition history with the largest number of researchers on board.

During the trip, scientists will research the two stations of Changcheng and Zhongshan and continue to 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 inland on the continent.

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.

(Xinhua News Agency September 21, 2009)