What is hidden in the depths of the oceans and seas? What animals can we find underwater? How to solve the mystery of sunken ships? "Mir-1" and "Mir-2" - Russian deep-sea research vehicles – help to answer these questions.
The idea of the deep-water submersibles and their designs has appeared in the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, the implementation of scientific and technical ideas began in 1985 in Finland. There submersibles were manufactured under the strict guidance of Russian scientists and engineers of the Institute of Oceanology of RAS. In 1987 the devices were installed on the vessel "Akademik Mstislav Keldysh" and commissioned. This is how a unique research complex equipped with modern scientific equipment and devices for a wide range of oceanographic research emerged in the USSR.
Immersion depth of submersibles can reach 6,000 m, and the installed batteries allow one to perform underwater operations for 17-20 hours, without raising to the surface. This ship holds a crew of three – pilot, engineer and scientist observer.
"Mir" submersibles hold many different achievements. Their application has conducted more than 35 expeditions in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. The devices explored the depths of the lake Baikal, conducted a survey of the sunken submarine "Kursk" and studied the causes of the accident. In 90-e years "Mir-1" and "Mir-2" participated twice in the study of the legendary Titanic at a depth of 3,800 meters and shoot unique images that were used to create James Cameron movies about the sinking of the ship.
The Arctic depth also did not remain without attention of deep-diving vehicles. In 2007, "Mir-1" and "Mir-2" were involved in the expedition "Arktika-2007", led by Artur Chilingarov. With their help for the first time in the history was committed an immersion in the geographical North Pole at a depth of 4,300 meters. Russian flag and a capsule with a message to future generations were placed at the bottom of the Arctic Ocean. The achievements of that expedition were listed in the Guinness book of records.
