Proton-M

Proton-M

Proton-M rocket being transported to its launchpad
Function	Heavy carrier rocket
Manufacturer	Khrunichev
Country of origin	Russia
Size
Height	53 metres (174 ft)
Diameter	7.4 metres (24 ft)
Mass	712,800 kilograms (1,571,000 lb)
Stages	3 or 4
Capacity
Payload to LEO	22,000 kilograms (49,000 lb)
Payload to GTO (Briz-M)	6,700 kilograms (15,000 lb)
Payload to GSO (Briz-M)	3,500 kilograms (7,700 lb)
Associated rockets
Family	Universal Rocket
Launch history
Status	Active
Launch sites	Baikonur Sites 81 & 200
Total launches	68
Successes	62
Failures	2
Partial failures	4
First flight	7 April 2001
First Stage
Length	21 metres (69 ft)
Diameter	7.4 metres (24 ft)
Empty mass	31,000 kilograms (68,000 lb)
Gross mass	450,400 kilograms (993,000 lb)
Engines	6 RD-253-14D14
Thrust	10,532 kilonewtons (2,368,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	285 sec
Burn time	108 seconds
Fuel	N2O4/UDMH
Second Stage - 8S811K
Length	14 metres (46 ft)
Diameter	4.15 metres (13.6 ft)
Empty mass	11,715 kilograms (25,830 lb)
Gross mass	167,828 kilograms (370,000 lb)
Engines	4 RD-0210
Thrust	2,399 kilonewtons (539,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	327 sec
Burn time	206 seconds
Fuel	N2O4/UDMH
Third Stage
Length	6.5 metres (21 ft)
Diameter	4.15 metres (13.6 ft)
Empty mass	4,185 kilograms (9,230 lb)
Gross mass	50,747 kilograms (111,880 lb)
Engines	1 RD-0212
Thrust	613.8 kilonewtons (138,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	325 sec
Burn time	238 seconds
Fuel	N2O4/UDMH
Fourth Stage (optional) - Briz-M
Length	2.61 metres (8 ft 7 in)
Diameter	4.10 metres (13.5 ft)
Empty mass	2,370 kilograms (5,200 lb)
Gross mass	22,170 kilograms (48,900 lb)
Engines	1 S5.98M
Thrust	19.6 kilonewtons (4,400 lbf)
Specific impulse	326 sec
Burn time	3000 seconds
Fuel	N2O4/UDMH
Fourth Stage (optional) - Block DM-2
Engines	1 RD-58M
Thrust	85 kilonewtons (19,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	352 sec
Fuel	RP-1/LOX

The Proton-M, (Протон-М) GRAU index 8K82M or 8K82KM, is a Russian carrier rocket derived from the Soviet-developed Proton. It is built by Khrunichev, and launched from sites 81 and 200 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Commercial launches are marketed by International Launch Services (ILS), and generally use Site 200/39. The first Proton-M launch occurred on 7 April 2001.

Vehicle description

Proton-M in assembly building awaiting for rollout

Proton-M rollout

The Proton-M features modifications to the lower stages to reduce structural mass, increase thrust, and fully utilise propellants. A closed-loop guidance system is used on the first stage, which allows more complete consumption of propellant. This increases the rocket's performance slightly compared to previous variants, and reduces the amount of toxic chemicals remaining in the stage when it impacts downrange. It can place up to 21 tonnes (46,000 lb) into low Earth orbit. With an upper stage, it can place a 3 tonne payload into geosynchronous orbit, or a 5.5 tonne payload into geosynchronous transfer orbit. Efforts were also made to reduce dependency on foreign component suppliers.

Most Proton-M launches have used a Briz-M upper stage to propel the spacecraft into a higher orbit. Launches have also been made with Block-DM upper stages, namely the Block DM-2 when launching GLONASS spacecraft, and a scheduled launch with two Yamal satellites, using a Block DM-3. As of 2009, no Proton-M launches have been made without an upper stage, however this configuration is manifested to launch the Multipurpose Laboratory Module and European Robotic Arm of the International Space Station, currently scheduled to be launched together in 2013.

Proton-M Enhanced

On 7 July 2007, International Launch Services launched the first Proton-M Enhanced rocket, which carried the DirecTV-10 satellite into orbit. This was the 326th launch of a Proton, the 16th Proton-M/Briz-M launch, and the 41st Proton launch to be conducted by ILS. It features more efficient first stage engines, updated avionics, lighter fuel tanks and more powerful vernier engines on the Briz-M upper stage, and mass reduction throughout the rocket, including thinner fuel tank walls on the first stage, and use of composite materials on all other stages. The second launch of this variant occurred on 18 August 2008, and was used to place Inmarsat 4 F3 into orbit. The baseline Proton-M was retired in November 2007, in favour of the Enhanced variant.

Frank McKenna, CEO of ILS, has indicated that in 2010 the Phase III Proton design would become the standard ILS configuration, with the ability to lift 6.15 metric tons to GTO.

October 19, 2011 the Viasat-1 weighing 6.740 metric tons has been lifted into geostationary transfer orbit by the Proton-M/Briz-M Phase III.

Latest failures of Proton-M rocket launches

In 2007, a Proton-M rocket carrying a Japanese communication satellite did not reach its orbit and crashed.

In August 2011, shortly after a Proton-M launch, Russia lost contact with a communication satellite.

On 6 August 2012, the Proton-M rocket and its payload of two communications satellites was lost when it failed to reach the orbit. An unmanned rocket carrying Russian and Indonesian satellites prematurely switched off minutes after its takeoff from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Launches

Main article: List of Proton launches

Environmental impact

Critics claim that Proton rocket fuel (unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH)) and debris created by Russia's space programme is poisoning areas of Russia and Kazakhstan. Clusters of cancers have been found in the Republic of Altai and residents claim that acid rain falls after some launches. Anatoly Kuzin, deputy director of the Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, has however denied these claims, saying: "We did special research into the issue. The level of acidity in the atmosphere is not affected by the rocket launches [and] there is no data to prove any link between the illnesses [in Altai] and the influence of rocket fuel components or space activity of any kind".

See also

• Comparison of heavy lift launch systems
• List of Proton launches