US Air Force flight to Antarctica turns back due to space activity warning

A US Air Force C-17 Globemaster III flight bound for Antarctica returned to Christchurch, New Zealand, following warnings of potentially hazardous space activity. The flight, operating under the call sign ICE28, departed on Tuesday morning but turned back approximately 150 minutes later.

The New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) after being notified by Russia’s State Air Traffic Management Corporation of a planned missile launch. This activity posed a potential hazard to international airspace within New Zealand’s Oceanic Flight Information Region, a vast area covering 30 million square kilometers.

The flight was part of the annual Winter Fly-in (WINFLY) period, a critical window for transporting personnel, equipment, and supplies between Christchurch and Antarctic research stations, including McMurdo Station and Scott Base, in preparation for the summer research season.