Antarctica is a relatively inaccessible location for studying atmospheric and surface properties. Satellite remote sensing is important for understanding processes over the south polar region. The integration of ground-based and satellite remote sensing techniques is essential to overcome the difficulty in detecting cloud properties over an ice and snow surface. We are using a ground-based Fourier-transform infrared interferometer that can be configured both as an emission spectrometer and a transmissometer to study atmospheric gases and cloud properties, as well as surface emission. A tethered balloon will be used to measure boundary-layer water vapor concentrations and the sizes and shapes of ice crystals. These measurements can be compared to satellite retrievals from analysis of future EOS instruments, such as MODIS