Lake Vostok Reached

Re:Lake Vostok Reached by ebbv on Wednesday February 08, 2012 @01:32PM (#3567775)

There's no evidence that there is any more. They only need the lubricant at the point of contact with the drill bit.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Lake Vostok Reached by ronnoles on Wednesday February 08, 2012 @02:05PM (#3567928)

If this was anything like a typical process, drilling fluid would be pumped under pressure down the drill pipe. Not a few drops - rather hundreds (or thousands) of liters. Obviously, this is not hard-rock drilling so I'd assume the volume of drilling fluid would be reduced. It would still have to be a substantial amount, definitely more that 1.5 cubic meters.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Lake Vostok Reached by D_Alex on Wednesday February 08, 2012 @09:09PM (#3569490)

It is not much like a typical drilling process. The article includes a pretty decent infographic abt 2/3 way down, which shows the drilling principle on the last slide. Worth a look.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Lake Vostok Reached by dromidas on Wednesday February 08, 2012 @07:14PM (#3569208)

So now that the drilling hole is flushed of antifreeze and its filled with prehistoric lake water... what's to stop it from freezing and closing off the hole again?

[ Parent | on HN ]