Expedition Leadership

Abstract

Shackleton’s Transantarctica Expedition is certainly one of the most jaw-dropping adventure stories in the era of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration and should be required reading for all budding Mars mission commanders. The expedition’s goal was simple: traverse the white continent from one coast to the other, visiting the South Pole along the way. As events transpired, the expedition didn’t even set foot on continental Antarctica. Instead, Shackleton lost the Endurance at a time when the chances of contacting the outside world were slim to non-existent, and the prospects of rescue were even less. What ensued was a classic tale of leadership under the most appalling conditions.