On August 17, the sixth Icebreaker of Knowledge international Arctic expedition, organized with the support of Rosatom State Corporation, reached the North Pole. The dream of 66 school students fr om 21 countries to conquer the North Pole came true.
“We have reached the geographic North Pole on a landmark day for our country — on August 17, 1977, the Arktika nuclear-powered icebreaker became the first surface vessel in the world to reach the top of our planet. 2025 is a special year, as we celebrate the 80th anniversary of Russia’s nuclear industry and the 500th anniversary of Russia’s beginning to explore the Northern Sea Route. This unique expedition will be a starting point for your further achievements”, said Ruslan Sasov, the captain of the 50 Let Pobedy nuclear icebreaker during an official ceremony at the North Pole.
The 50 Let Pobedy nuclear icebreaker traveled 1,200 miles from Murmansk to the crown of the Earth. Representatives of 21 countries took to the ice parading their national flags, many of them being the first persons from their countries to visit the North Pole, for example, Timur Abdel Vakhab from Egypt, Valeria Yorley Gutierrez Quiroz from Bolivia, Teaghan Beresford from Namibia, Eaint Thu Thu Khin from Myanmar and others.
“As a little girl, I dreamed that when I grew up, I could one day travel to the North Pole to see polar bears, vast snowy expanses and the Arctic Ocean. I live in China, while polar bears are found only in the Arctic. So my dream came true sooner than I expected! An expedition to the Arctic is a wonder! If you have a dream, sincerely believe in it, persistently pursue your goal, then sooner or later it will definitely become a reality. I am sure that this adventure will remain the most outstanding and memorable event in my life!” said Alisa Li, an expedition participant from the People’s Republic of China.
“My mind is blown, we saw the first iceberg just a few minutes ago, and right now we see vast whiteness and huge glaciers. We are at the North Pole — it is an indescribable feeling! I’ve only seen something like this on my phone wallpaper or computer screensaver, but now I see it firsthand! It’s unforgettable!” shared Angelina Zhuravleva, an expedition participant from Sarov, Russia.
Having landed at 90° North latitude, wh ere all meridians converge, school students from 21 countries around the world made the shortest round-the-world trip, as well as tested Russian space rovers at the North Pole.
“The teams operated the space rovers, symbolically named Kurchatov and Korolev, from a distance, guided only by camera information, as in real-life exploration of distant planets. The teams had the task to explore and pass the obstacle courses as quickly as possible without seeing the rovers directly, as a mission control center does in real settings,” said Andrey Babkin, an expert of the Icebreaker of Knowledge educational program and Russian test cosmonaut.
Within the
framework of the scientific and educational program of the Icebreaker of
Knowledge expedition, special attention is paid to the interaction of the
Rosatom and Roscosmos State Corporations, joining efforts in the development of
high-tech projects and educational programs aimed at training a new generation
of engineers and researchers for the exploration of both the Arctic and outer
space. Such cooperation ensures synergy of science and technology achievements,
opening new opportunities for implementing large-scale research initiatives.
Next, Rosatom’s Icebreaker of Knowledge international Arctic expedition is heading for the Franz Josef Land archipelago. It is planned to return to the port of Murmansk on August 22, the day of the National Flag of the Russian Federation. News from the 10-day expedition is broadcast in 12 Russian cities on the screens of MAER media holding, a communication partner of the project.
