United States Antarctic Program

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United States Antarctic Program (or USAP; formerly known as the United States Antarctic Research Program or USARP and the United States Antarctic Service or USAS) is an organization of the United States government which has presence in the continent of Antarctica. It co-ordinates research and the operational support for research in the region. The bodies' goals are

"...to expand fundamental knowledge of the region, to foster research on global and regional problems of current scientific importance, and to use the region as a platform or base from which to support research."

The U.S. Antarctic Program, funded by the National Science Foundation's Office of Polar Programs, supports only that research that can be done exclusively in Antarctica or that can be done best from Antarctica.

Currently, the USAP maintains 3 year round research stations in Antarctica (McMurdo Station, Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, and Palmer Station), as well as several seasonal field camps. Additionally, the USAP maintains research vessels that sail in the Antarctic waters.