  AST/RO, a 1.7 m diameter telescope for astronomy and aeronomy studies at
wavelengths between 200 and 2000 microns, was installed at the South Pole
during the 1994-1995 Austral summer. The telescope operates continuously
through the Austral winter, and is being used primarily for spectroscopic
studies of neutral atomic carbon and carbon monoxide in the interstellar medium
of the Milky Way and the Magellanic Clouds. The South Pole environment is
unique among observatory sites for unusually low wind speeds, low absolute
humidity, and the consistent clarity of the submillimeter sky. Four heterodyne
receivers, an array receiver, three acousto-optical spectrometers, and an array
spectrometer are installed. A Fabry-Perot spectrometer using a bolometric array
and a Terahertz receiver are in development. Telescope pointing, focus, and
calibration methods as well as the unique working environment and logistical
requirements of the South Pole are described.
