On May, 23, 2005 the unique expeditionary project «The flight to the top of the planet. To the North Pole by aerostat» was successfully completed. The project had been dated for the 60-anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War and the 250-th anniversary of the Moscow State University named after М.V.  Lomonosov. The support and organization of the project were undertaken by the Investment Financial Company METROPOL ".

For the first time ever in the development of the Arctic region it has appeared possible to reach the North Pole with the help of an air-balloon. The record flight was carried out by the crew of the thermal balloon «Svyataya Rus» (Sacred Russia) under the leadership of the well-known Russian traveler Valentin Efremov. It took 38 days for the expedition to overcome the distance of 980 kilometers between the Arctic cape (the archipelago Northern Earth) and the Pole. Moreover, during the realization of the project the unprecedented operation was carried out on aviation maintenance of the expedition by helicopters.

During this flight a unique scientific-practical program was realized which will help to update modern scientific knowledge on ecology, formation of climate on the Earth, abilities to live in extreme conditions.

More details on the expedition can be accessed at http://polus.metropol.ru/