Popular Mechanics:

Every year, hundreds of people travel the world just to glimpse one particular airplane. This isn’t some experimental aircraft or even a fancy fifth-generation stealth fighter. This is a cargo plane—the largest one in the world and the only one of its kind in existence.

This is the Antonov An-225 Mriya.

And all these thronging crowds of planespotters are understandable. Mriya is a freight plane with cargo best described as ‘atypical,’ including giant turbines, entire rail locomotives, or ready-to-eat meals…for an entire army. The An-225 also makes only a couple of flights per year and just finished an 18-month-long stint off the runway.

But why would you need a plane that’s so monstrous? The short answer: Rockets.

Really interesting article if only for the pics of the Russian version of the space shuttle.