Mir-1 Deep-Sea Submersible (1987)

The legendary «Mir-1» is a deep-sea manned research submersible designed for comprehensive oceanographic studies, rescue operations, and filming at extreme depths of up to 6,000 meters. Its design features a robust spherical pressure hull made of high-strength nickel alloy—with an internal diameter of 2.1 meters—that accommodates a three-person crew; this is encased in a lightweight, streamlined fairing equipped with syntactic foam blocks to ensure positive buoyancy. The vehicle operates by submerging using drop-weight ballast and maneuvering via a system of hydraulic water jets and lateral thrusters, powered by high-capacity nickel-cadmium batteries (approximately 100 kWh). A distinctive feature is its unique suite of external equipment: two hydraulic manipulator arms with multiple degrees of freedom for collecting soil samples, a panoramic lighting system using halogen and metal-halide lamps, and thick, high-optical-clarity acrylic viewports. Key specifications include a length of 7.8 meters, a width of 3.6 meters, an operational weight of approximately 18.6 tons, and a life-support endurance of up to 246 hours in emergency mode. «Mir-1» can withstand immense pressures of up to 600 atmospheres—covering 98% of the World Ocean floor—and has undertaken missions such as the famous exploration of the «Titanic» wreck and a descent to the bed of the Arctic Ocean. This 3D model kit allows you to recreate and examine in detail the sophisticated engineering solutions behind this masterpiece of deep-sea robotics.