NASC is the Ukrainian National Antarctic Scientific Center. The Center is the main organisation in Ukraine for conducting research in Antarctica as well as the Southern Ocean. It operates the fully equipped year-round Vernadsky research base (former British 'Faraday' base), easily reachable on Galindez Island (maritime Antarctic, near Antarctic peninsula). The three types of research - meteorological, biological and geophysical - are conducted there.
Besides, the NASC owns the unique research vessel of ice class 'Noosfera' (former RRS 'James Clark Ross'), which will also be used for OCEAN:ICE purposes.
Ukraine has the status of a Consultative Party to the Antarctic Treaty.
To date, the Center has organised and provided 28 Ukrainian Antarctic expeditions and continuous work and ongoing research at Vernadsky research base.