VILLAGE OF SCOTIA, N.Y. -- It's a new season for members of the 109th Airlift Wing in Scotia as they deploy to begin Operation Deep Freeze. 

All 10 L-C 130 skibird aircrafts are deployed to Antarctica this week with hundreds of support personnel.

The primary mission is to support the work of the National Science Foundation and their work doing atmospheric research, animal research and climate change research. 

This deployment is all being overseen by the unit's newly installed female commander who says they play an important role in developing science right now.

"It's a very exciting time in the world in terms of what's going on in Antarctic research. A lot of atmospherics, a lot of animal research. There's a lot of climate change research," said Col. Michele Kilgore, 109th Airlift Wing commander.

Most deployments last about a month in the land where temperatures can reach negative 50 degrees.