On October 28, 2024, the 17th Belarusian Antarctic Expedition was officially launched at the NAS of Belarus. Chairman of the Presidium of the NAS of Belarus Uladzimir Gusakow addressed the audience with a welcoming speech. He stressed that the research of Belarusian polar explorers should bring practical results. On October 17, the head of state met with participants of the Belarusian Antarctic expeditions. "A multilateral conversation took place about the effectiveness of the work. The questions were quite strict, and that's right. We must provide results that can be used in various fields, including healthcare, the development of technical and technological tools, testing of devices and sensors. Antarctica is a special continent, there are special conditions there, without much human intervention, which is very important. However, plastic is also found there. All this deserves attention. You all know your tasks. The composition of the expedition was selected very carefully, thoroughly," Uladzimir Gusakow said. Aliaksiej Gajdashow, deputy head of the Republican Centre for Polar Research of the NAS of Belarus – head of the Belarusian Antarctic Expedition, related the plans of the upcoming expedition, how the selection of team members took place.

With warm words of farewell, the polar explorers were addressed by: Julija Kachurka, chairman of the primary organization of the Belarusian Women’s Union of the NAS of Belarus; Ivan Baranowski, chairman of the united branch trade union organization of employees of the NAS of Belarus; Stanislaw Juretski, chairman of the Council of Young Scientists of the NAS of Belarus; Uladzimir Ryzhykaw, head of the Republican Centre for Polar Research of the NAS of Belarus; Uladzimir Lievashkievich, deputy Academician-Secretary of the Department of Chemistry and Earth Sciences.

Voĺga Shpiliewskaja, chairman of the Belarusian Women’s Union and representatives of the Patriots of Belarus public association also addressed the participants of the 17th Belarusian Antarctic Expedition. Flags of these public organizations were handed over to Aliaksiej Gajdashow, deputy head of the Republican Centre for Polar Research of the NAS of Belarus – head of the Belarusian Antarctic Expedition.

This year, 14 people will go to Antarctica. The expedition includes researchers from the NAS of Belarus (the Republican Centre for Polar Research of the NAS of Belarus, the Scientific and Practical Centre of the NAS of Belarus on Bioresources, the Institute of Environmental Management of the NAS of Belarus, the Institute of Physics named after B.I. Stepanov of the NAS of Belarus), BSU, Belhydromet, and other organizations of the country.
The team consists of 9 specialists who already have experience in Antarctica, 5 people are beginners.