Proton rocket

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Proton 8K82K
Image:Proton Zvezda.jpg
Stages		4
1 - Boosters	Engines	6 × RD-253-11D48
Thrust		1,745 kN × 6 = 10,470 kN
Burn time		124 seconds
Fuels		N₂O₄/UDMH
2 - Core Stage	Engines	4 × RD-0210
Thrust		600 kN × 4 = 2,400 kN
Burn time		206 seconds
Fuels		N₂O₄/UDMH
3 - 3rd Stage	Engine	1 × RD-0212
Thrust		630.2 kN
Burn time		238 seconds
Fuels		N₂O₄/UDMH
4 - Blok D Stage	Engine	1 × RD-58M
Thrust		85.02 kN
Burn time		610 seconds
Fuels		Lox/Kerosene
Launch Vehicle		1st Launch March 10, 1967
Payload LEO 51-deg		20,000 kg
Payload GTO		6,000 kg
Payload Escape Velocity		5,800 kg

The Proton (Прото́н) rocket (formal designation: UR-500, also known as D-1) is a Russian unmanned space vehicle design first launched in 1965 and still in use as of 2005.

Proton initially started life as a "super ICBM." It was designed to throw a 10-Megaton (or larger) nuclear warhead over a distance of 12,000 km. It was hugely oversized for an ICBM and was never used in such a capacity. It was eventually utilized as a space launch vehicle. It was the brainchild of Vladimir Chelomei's design bureau as a foil to Sergei Korolev's N1 booster with the specific intent of sending a two man Zond craft around the moon. With the termination of the Saturn V programme Proton became the largest expendable launch system in service until the Energia rocket first flew in 1987.

Proton is fuelled by unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide. These are hypergolic fuels which burn on contact, voiding the need for an ignition system. They are stored at ambient temperatures avoiding the need for low-temperature-tolerant components and also allowing the rocket to sit on the pad indefinitely without need for continuous topping up of boiling off cryogenic fuels. They are, however, very toxic fuels that require special handling care.

Between the first flight in 1965 and 1970, the Proton was a very unreliable launcher causing the loss of many space vehicles. By the early 1970s the flaws were worked out and it became a very reliable rocket which it has continued to be to this day.

Proton launched the unmanned Soviet circumlunar flights and would very likely have launched the first humans to circle the Moon had the flight of Apollo 8 been conducted as originally planned (i.e. without going to Moon orbit). Proton launched the Salyut space stations, Mir core segment, and both the Zarya and Zvezda modules of the ISS. It also launched many probes to the Moon, Mars, and Venus (using the 4-stage D-1e version).

Proton also launches commercial satellites, most of them being managed by International Launch Services.

On March 1, 2006, the Proton-M rocket failed to launch ArabSat4. Following successful first, second, and third stage burns, its upper stage shutdown early and failued to place ArabSat4 into it's proper geostationary orbit. It is current undergoing failure review.

Launch capacity to low Earth orbit is about 20 metric tons. Interplanetary transfer capacity is about 5–6 metric tons.

1 Proton 8K82K Specifications
2 Proton M
3 Proton stages
4 External links

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Proton 8K82K Specifications

Stage Number: 1. Proton K-1
- Gross Mass: 450,510 kg
- Empty Mass: 31,100 kg
- Thrust (vac): 10,470 kN
- Isp: 316 s (3.10 kN·s/kg)
- Burn time: 124 s
- Isp(sl): 267 s (2.62 kN·s/kg)
- Diameter: 4.15 m
- Span: 7.40 m
- Length: 21.20 m
- Propellants: N2O4/UDMH
- Engines: 6 x RD-253-11D48
- Other designations: 8S810K

Stage Number: 2. Proton K-2
- Gross Mass: 167,828 kg
- Empty Mass: 11,715 kg
- Thrust (vac): 2,399 kN
- Isp: 327 s (3.21 kN·s/kg)
- Burn time: 206 s
- Isp(sl): 230 s (2.26 kN·s/kg)
- Diameter: 4.15 m
- Length: 14.00 m
- Propellants: N2O4/UDMH
- Engines: 4 RD-0210
- Other designations: 8S811K.

Stage Number: 3. Proton K-3
- Gross Mass: 50,747 kg
- Empty Mass: 4,185 kg
- Thrust (vac): 630 kN
- Isp: 325 s (3.19 kN·s/kg)
- Burn time: 238 s
- Diameter: 4.15 m
- Length: 6.50 m
- Propellants: N2O4/UDMH
- Engines: 1. RD-0212

Stage Number: 4
- Proton 11S824
- Gross Mass: 13,360 kg
- Empty Mass: 1,800 kg
- Thrust (vac): 83 kN
- Isp: 346 s (3.39 kN·s/kg)
- Burn time: 470 s
- Diameter: 3.70 m
- Length: 5.50 m
- Propellants: Lox/Kerosene
- Engines: 1. RD-58
- Other designations: 11S824; Block D; D-1-e.

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Proton M

The latest version is the Proton M. A Proton M can launch 3 to 3.2 metric tons (6600 to 7050 lbm) into geostationary orbit or 5.5 metric tons (12,100 lbm) into a geostationary transfer orbit. It can place up to 22 metric tons (48,500 lbm) in low Earth orbit with a 51.6-degree inclination, the orbit of the International Space Station (ISS).

The Proton M's improvements include modifications to the lower stages to reduce structural mass, increase thrust, and fully utilize propellants (reducing release of toxic chemicals in stage impact areas). A Briz M storable propellant upper stage replaces the Block D stage.

LEO Payload: 21,000 kg to 185 km orbit at 51.6 degrees
Payload: 2,920 kg to a geosynchronous orbital trajectory.
Apogee: 40,000 km
Associated Spacecraft: Gorizont, Raduga, Spacebus 3000
Liftoff Thrust: 965,580 kgf 9,469.1 kN
Total Mass: 712,800 kg
Core Diameter: 7.40 m. Total Length: 53.00 m.

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Proton stages

Stage	Gross Mass	Empty Mass	Thrust (vac)	I_sp	Burn time	I_sp(sl)	Diameter	Span	Length	Propellants	Engines	Status
Proton KM-1	450,400 kg	31,000 kg	1,074,000 kgf	317 s	108 s	285 s	7.40 m	7.40 m	21.00 m	N2O4/UDMH	6 x RD-253-14D14	In production
Proton K-2 8S811K	167,828 kg	11,715 kg	244,652 kgf	327 s	206 s	230 s	4.15 m	4.15 m	14.00 m	N2O4/UDMH	4 x RD-0210	In production
Proton K-3	50,747 kg	4,185 kg	64,260 kgf	325 s	238 s	230 s	4.15 m	4.15 m	6.50 m	N2O4/UDMH	1 x RD-0212	In production
Proton KM-4 Briz M	22,170 kg	2,370 kg	2,000 kgf	326 s	3,000 s		2.50 m	4.10 m	2.61 m	N2O4/UDMH	1 x S5.98M	In production