Launch Vehicles

Proton-M

Russia

Citation Formats

General Reference

Space and Astronomy Atlas. "Proton-M." Accessed September 1, 2026. https://dev-space.interactiveatlas.org/launch-vehicles/proton-m.

APA Style

Space and Astronomy Atlas. (n.d.). Proton-M. Retrieved September 1, 2026, from https://dev-space.interactiveatlas.org/launch-vehicles/proton-m

BibTeX

@misc{spaceandastronomyatlas-proton-m,
  author = {Space and Astronomy Atlas},
  title = {Proton-M},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://dev-space.interactiveatlas.org/launch-vehicles/proton-m},
  note = {Accessed September 1, 2026}
}

The modernized successor to the Proton-K, with improved guidance and a more efficient upper stage, used through the 2000s and 2010s to launch Russian and international commercial communications satellites as well as International Space Station modules including Nauka.

Facts

Vehicle Class

Heavy-lift expendable launch vehicle 1

Manufacturer

Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center 1

First Flight Date

2001-04-07 1

Status

Operational but flying less frequently, gradually being phased out in favor of the newer Angara family. 1

Cross-Tradition Connections

Operated By

Roscosmos

Source Encyclopedia Astronautica

Part Of

Proton-K

The modernized successor sharing the Proton-K's core airframe and mission role.

Source Encyclopedia Astronautica

Sources

1. Encyclopedia Astronautica

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