Russian airstrikes on Sunday (27/2) local time destroyed the Antonov-225 aircraft belonging to Ukraine. The world's largest plane has a great history, one of which is transporting the space shuttle.
In the era when the Soviet Union had not yet disbanded, the Antonov-225 was designed to be able to carry smaller aircraft on it. This aircraft is made by the Kiev-based company Antonov.
The goal is as a carrier which later after at a certain height, the 'ride' will break away to reach outer space. The Energia rocket and the space shuttle Buran were passengers on the Antonov-225.
In fact, in its maiden flight in 1988, this iron bird immediately set 106 world records in one flight. As a result, the plane, named Mriya, attracted the attention of the aerospace world at that time.
Antonov-225 which is 18.1 meters high has a body length of 84 meters with a wingspan of 88.4 meters.
Although it can only accommodate a crew of six, the plane, which is supported by six turbofan engines, is capable of carrying loads of up to 250 tons of cargo. Antonov-225 is capable of streaking in the air at a speed of 850 km per hour.
Quoted from Space, Tuesday (1/3/2022) of the two AN-225 type aircraft, only one was completed. Construction of the second aircraft was not completed with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. The Antonov-225 was also affected which was then stored in the hangar of the Ukrainian air base.
The Antonov company and Air Foyle, a British company, later revived the Antonov-225 as a commercial transport aircraft.
Antonov-225 played a major role in sending supplies in bulk on one flight, such as emergency supplies to disaster areas and finally medical supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the world's largest plane, parked at Hostomel Airport, close to Kiev, has been targeted by Russia, which has been invading Ukraine since February 24.
"The world's largest plane Mriya was destroyed by Russia at an airfield near Kiev," the Ukrainian state's official Twitter account tweeted last weekend.