Discover ten surprising facts about the Antonov An-225 Mriya, the world’s largest aircraft, including its records, space missions, and tragic demise.

The Antonov An-225 Mriya, designed in the 1980s by the Ukrainian Antonov design bureau, remains a landmark in aviation history. With its extraordinary dimensions and unique logistical capabilities, there is only one example of this legendary aircraft. At 84 meters long, with six engines and capable of carrying more than 250 tons of cargo, the world’s largest aircraft has long symbolized Soviet technological ambition and, later, excellence in strategic air transport. Used to transport oversized industrial equipment and for humanitarian missions, the Mriya has always been a source of admiration and fascination. Its destruction in 2022 marked the end of an era, but its technical legacy lives on. Here are ten little-known but fascinating facts about this giant of the skies. Each fact illustrates how unique the An-225 was in its design, mission, and operational history.

Only one Mriya was ever completed

Only one Antonov An-225 Mriya was ever produced. Although the initial program called for two aircraft, only the first was completed and entered service in 1988. The second, whose fuselage was partially assembled, remained stored in an unfinished state at Antonov’s facilities due to production costs, lack of immediate profitability, and geopolitical upheavals related to the fall of the USSR. This rarity contributed to making the Mriya a legendary aircraft in civil and military aviation. Unlike mass-produced transport aircraft such as the Il-76 or the C-17 Globemaster, the Mriya was never integrated into a fleet. It operated as a single aircraft within Antonov Airlines. Its status as an operational prototype, maintained and modified over the years, allowed it to carry out a variety of often spectacular missions while retaining its structural originality. This uniqueness also explains the high maintenance costs associated with it.

It was designed to transport the Buran shuttle

The Mriya was originally developed to meet a specific need of the Soviet space program: to transport the Buran orbital shuttle. Unlike the American shuttle, which used a dedicated platform (the modified Boeing 747), the Soviet Union entrusted the Antonov design bureau with the development of a custom-built aircraft. The An-225 was thus designed to carry Buran or other space launch vehicle components on its back to launch sites such as Baikonur. To achieve this, the fuselage was widened, structural reinforcements were added, and the tail fin was split into two vertical stabilizers to maintain aerodynamic stability in flight with an external load. This initial role as a space carrier explains its unique six-engine configuration and massive landing gear. Although the Buran shuttle only made one orbital flight, the An-225 remained in service and was converted to transport oversized heavy cargo.

It holds more than 240 official world records

Over the course of its career, the Antonov An-225 Mriya has accumulated more than 240 world records certified by the International Aeronautical Federation (FAI). Among the most remarkable are the transport of 253 tons of payload and a total takeoff weight of 640 tons, an absolute record for a fixed-wing aircraft. It also carried the largest single cargo (a 189-ton turbine) and made the heaviest commercial flight in history. These performances are made possible by its six Progress D-18T turbojet engines, its reinforced structure and its 32-wheel landing gear. Each Mriya mission was a technical feat in itself, requiring meticulous planning, specific authorizations, and specialized infrastructure. These records are a testament not only to the aircraft’s raw power, but also to its operational precision and reliability on extreme missions.

Its cargo hold is larger than a basketball court

One of the most impressive features of the Mriya is its pressurized cargo hold, designed to carry massive loads over long distances. With a length of 43.3 meters, a width of 6.4 meters, and a height of 4.4 meters, it surpasses many land-based warehouses. By way of comparison, a standard basketball court is approximately 28 meters long, meaning that the Antonov An-225’s cargo hold could easily accommodate an entire court with room to spare. This extraordinary capacity enabled it to transport entire wind turbines, locomotives, and even aircraft sections. Access to the cargo hold was via a tilting front ramp, capable of lifting the nose of the aircraft. The loading equipment also included a winch and modular fastening systems. This design illustrates the ultra-logistical nature of the Mriya, which was designed to meet very specific industrial requirements.

Its landing gear has 32 steerable wheels

The Antonov An-225 Mriya is equipped with a 32-wheel landing gear, divided into 14 bogies. This complex system distributed the load on the ground and facilitated maneuvering on the runway. Some of these wheels are steerable, giving the aircraft much greater maneuverability on the ground than might be expected from an aircraft of this size. The main landing gear can be tilted to facilitate front loading, and the inflation pressure can be adjusted according to the loads being carried and the landing surfaces. This system allowed the Mriya to operate on reinforced secondary runways, sometimes in conditions far from civil airport standards. Maintenance of these components required a specialized team and dedicated logistics. This is one of the many factors that explain the very high operating costs associated with the world’s largest aircraft, despite its efficiency in certain unique missions.

It can carry a load mounted outside the fuselage

One of the most remarkable features of the Antonov An-225 Mriya is its ability to carry external loads attached to the back of the fuselage. This configuration, rare in air transport, was designed to meet the specific needs of the Soviet space program. In particular, it allowed the Buran shuttle or rocket components that were too large to fit in the cargo hold to be carried. To ensure aerodynamic stability under these conditions, engineers removed the central fin from the An-124 and installed two vertical fins at the ends of the horizontal plane instead. This unique configuration ensured lateral control despite the drag induced by the external load. The assembly was carried out using special fasteners integrated into the top of the fuselage. This capability made the Mriya a multi-role platform, capable of handling complex logistical scenarios far beyond the limits of conventional cargo aircraft such as the Boeing 747 or the C-5 Galaxy.

It required a full crew on board to operate

The Mriya was not an aircraft that could be flown by one or two pilots. It required a crew of six to eight members, each with a specific technical role. In addition to the pilot and co-pilot, there was a flight engineer responsible for engine control and hydraulic systems, a navigator, a radio operator, and sometimes a cargo operator responsible for monitoring cargo and loading equipment during the flight. Added to this were the ground crews, who carried out loading maneuvers, structural checks, and logistical preparations. This organization was reminiscent of that of large military transport aircraft in the 1970s and 1980s, before the automation of on-board positions. This human configuration made operations costly, but essential given the complexity of the aircraft. The world’s largest aircraft was therefore not only a technical feat: it was also a well-oiled human system requiring a high level of skill.

It made its longest flight in 2020 during the pandemic

In April 2020, the Antonov An-225 Mriya was mobilized as part of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. It made a special flight from Tianjin (China) to Warsaw (Poland) with a technical stopover, transporting more than 100 tons of medical equipment, including masks and respirators. This highly publicized flight was one of the longest in its recent history, demonstrating the operational relevance of the Mriya, even after more than three decades of service. It took less than 48 hours from loading in Asia to arrival in Europe, in the context of a global health emergency. This flight illustrates how the Mriya remained a strategic asset in the event of a global logistical crisis. Thanks to its unique transport capacity, it was able to deliver in a single rotation what would have required several flights by conventional cargo aircraft. This mission was one of its last major international operations.

It was destroyed during fighting in Ukraine in 2022

On February 27, 2022, during the Russian offensive on Ukraine, the Antonov An-225 Mriya was destroyed at Hostomel Airport near Kiev, where it was parked for maintenance. Caught in the bombing in the early days of the attack, the aircraft was partially burned in its hangar. Satellite images and videos from the scene confirmed the extent of the damage: the nose was ripped off, the wings collapsed, and the cabin was devastated. This destruction sent shockwaves through the aviation world and among enthusiasts, as the Mriya symbolized technical prowess and a unique aviation heritage. The aircraft was not just an industrial tool: it was an icon. Since its loss, discussions about rebuilding it have mobilized experts and engineers, but the costs, the context of war, and the obsolescence of certain components are making the project extremely complicated. This tragic event marked the end of a major chapter in the history of heavy air transport.

Rebuilding is being considered, but remains highly uncertain

Following the destruction of the An-225, Antonov announced plans to rebuild the Mriya using parts from the second aircraft, which had remained unfinished since the 1990s. This symbolic and technical project faces many obstacles: lack of funding, obsolete components, logistical difficulties in wartime, and the complexity of the project. The estimated cost exceeds $500 million. Some parts of the first aircraft could be recovered or reproduced, but the avionics, engines, and airframe require complete modernization. Despite this, Antonov is maintaining its ambition, with the support of Ukrainian authorities and private donors. The reconstruction of the world’s largest aircraft would be both a technological and a memorial project, intended to demonstrate the resilience of the Ukrainian aviation industry. However, no specific timetable has been announced to date. The myth of the Mriya, which means “dream” in Ukrainian, could still be revived if political and industrial conditions allow.

Get in touch to live a unique fighter jet experience – we fly in France AND YOU CAN TAKE THE CONTROLS!!!