The BaR-SPOrt (Balloon-Borne Radiometers for Sky Polarization
Observations) experiment, a program of the Agenzia Spaziale
Italiana (ASI) co-funded by PNRA (Progetto Nazionale di Ricerca in
Antartide) was originally designed as a payload for long duration
balloons flights. The changing scenario, both scientific and
strategic, has led us to propose it for the starting winter
campaign of at the Concordia Base. Here the instrument and the
features making it suitable to operate at Dome-C are described.
After the initial setup, BaR-SPOrt should not require any kind of
routine intervention by a dedicated base staff. The experiment
will just need electrical power (less than 2 kW) and a suitable
accommodation on the field. It can be fully monitored and
controlled, including the data acquisition, through its own
telemetry/telecommand link using IRIDIUM modems. Both the receiver
and the critical electronics are housed inside a
temperature-controlled vacuum chamber, providing the properly
stabilized environment. The cold part of the radiometer employs a
closed loop mechanical cryo-cooler that provides temperatures <70 ± 0.1 K with low power consumption (<200 W).