Antonov An-225 Mriya: the world's largest plane designed for the Soviet space shuttle

The Antonov An-225 Mriya, the world's largest and heaviest cargo aircraft, was destroyed in 2022 during the Ukrainian conflict. Originally designed to transport the Soviet space shuttle, the An-225 featured six engines and a 32-wheel landing gear system. It held over 200 world records for airlifting heavy and long cargo. The colossal aircraft, with a cargo hold comparable to a basketball court, could carry loads up to 200 tons and its reconstruction is estimated to cost $3 billion.