The Antonov An-225 Mriya (Ukrainian for "Dream" or "Inspiration") was, until its destruction in 2022, the world's largest and heaviest aircraft ever built. It was a strategic airlift cargo aircraft designed by the Antonov Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. Only one An-225 was ever completed and operational.
Here are some key characteristics of the An-225:
- Role: Primarily designed to transport the Buran spacecraft (the Soviet equivalent of the Space Shuttle) and components of the Energia rocket for the Soviet space program. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, it was repurposed for commercial heavy-lift cargo operations, transporting extremely heavy and oversized payloads that no other aircraft could carry.
- Size and Weight: It held numerous world records, including heaviest aircraft ever built, largest wingspan of any operational aircraft, and greatest payload ever airlifted. Its maximum takeoff weight was 640 tonnes (1,411,000 lb).
- Engines: It was powered by six massive Lotarev D-18T turbofan engines, providing the immense thrust required to lift its prodigious weight.
- Unique Tail Design: Unlike most large aircraft, it featured a twin-tail (twin vertical stabilizers) design. This was necessary to allow it to carry enormous external loads (like the Buran orbiter) on its back without disrupting airflow over the tail.
- Landing Gear: It had an extraordinary 32-wheel landing gear system, distributed to support its immense weight during takeoff and landing.
- Cargo Hold: The An-225's cargo hold was truly cavernous, with dimensions of about 43.3 meters (142 ft) long, 6.4 meters (21 ft) wide, and 4.4 meters (14 ft) high. It could accommodate items that were too large to fit in any other freighter, such as massive generators, industrial machinery, or entire railway locomotives.
- Nose Loading: Access to the main cargo hold was via a hinged nose that could be hydraulically raised, allowing for roll-on/roll-off loading of oversized items.
- Operational History: From its first flight in 1988, the An-225 became an icon of aviation. After the Soviet space program ended, it was commercially operated by Antonov Airlines, performing unique heavy-lift missions around the globe, from delivering humanitarian aid to transporting industrial equipment for various projects.
- Destruction: Tragically, the sole An-225 was destroyed on February 27, 2022, during the Battle of Antonov Airport in Hostomel, Ukraine, as a result of the Russian invasion.
