| Artur Nikolayevich Chilingarov | |
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Artur Nikolayevich Chilingarov visiting Arkangelsk (2009, August 22) |
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| Born | 25 September 1939 Leningrad, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union (now St. Petersburg, Russia) |
| Nationality | Russian |
| Ethnicity | Armenian |
| Years active | 1963–present |
| Known for | Polar exploration |
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Artur Nikolayevich Chilingarov (Russian: Артур Николаевич Чилингаров; born 25 September 1939) is a Russian polar explorer. He is a corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union in 1986 and the title Hero of the Russian Federation in 2008. Chilingarov is also a member of State Duma from Nenets Autonomous Okrug (since 1993).[1] Member of United Russia party.
He was born in Leningrad. In 1963 he graduated from the Arctic faculty of the Leningrad Maritime Institute named after admiral S.O. Makarov. As an engineer-oceanologer he was directed to Tiksi observatory of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute. In 1965 he was elected first secretary of Bulun Komsomol district committee. In 1969 he was appointed head of the drift ice station “North Pole-19” and in 1971 Chilingarov headed the Bellingshausen Station of the 17-th Soviet Antarctic Expedition.
Between 1974 and 1979 he worked in the West sector of the Arctic as head of the Amderma Administration of hydrometeorology and environment control. Under his direction new forms of Arctic operative navigation support were implemented; for the first time experimental works on cargo transfer to fast ice during wintertime were carried out in Yamal Peninsula. His experience in navigation support on the Northern Sea Route Chilingarov summarized in his dissertation for the scientific degree of a kandidat of geographical sciences.
In 1985 he headed the special expedition on research vessel Mikhail Somov, which was ice-blocked in the Southern Ocean. For successful performance of salvation operations in extreme conditions and shown organizational abilities and courage Chilingarov was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union on February 14, 1986.[2]
In January 2002 he led an expedition hosted by Adventure Network International to the South Pole along with 14 other tourists on a Antonov An-3 biplane.[3] In January 2007 He led a helicopter expedition to Antarctica, joined by FSB chief Nikolay Patrushev, and visited the South Pole and Amundsen-Scott station.[4]
During the 2007 Russian North Pole expedition, Chilingarov, accompanied by five other explorers from different countries, descended on 2 Mir submersibles to the seabed 13,980 feet below the North Pole in order to plant the Russian flag there and gather the specimens of the bottom ground.[5] In regard to the territorial claims in the Arctic, Chilingarov was quoted as saying, "The Arctic is Russian. We must prove the North Pole is an extension of the Russian landmass".[6]
In July 2008, Russia announced it was sending Mir submersibles to descend one mile to the bottom of Lake Baikal, to conduct geological and biological tests on its unique ecosystem. Chilingarov is scheduled to join 60 dives in total.[7] On July 29, 2008, Chilingarov took part in a dive to a depth of 1,580 meters in Lake Baikal, short of the record of 1,637 meters.[8]
On January 10, 2008 Chilingarov was awarded the title Hero of the Russian Federation for "courage and heroism showed in extremal conditions and successful completion of High-Latitude Arctic Deep-Water Expedition."[9]
In August, 2009 he revealed a planned Arctic expedition in April, 2010. Chilingarov plans to fly on dirigible AU-30, manufactered by the Aeronautic Centre Avgur.[10]
Chilingarov is the author of more than 50 scientific publications. He was elected into all the State Dumas and served as Deputy Chairman of the Third State Duma.
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