Russia's Proton Holding its Own in Launch Market
After four Decades
The failure late last year of the Proton rocket to place the Astra
1K satellite into proper orbit was a bitter pill to swallow for
International Launch Services (ILS), the joint venture company
between Lockheed Martin and Khrunichev State Research and Production
Space Center. Spirits have risen since then, however, beginning
at the New Year with the first commercial flight of the Proton
M/Breeze M configuration of the vehicle.
Success for ILS has continued into 2003 with the second launch
of Lockheed Martin's Atlas V (also marketed by ILS), and the June
7 launch of a Proton which placed the AMC-9 satellite into geostationary
orbit for Alcatel Space and SES Americom. This was the 300th flight
of a Proton vehicle, the first Proton launch of 2003 for ILS,
and its 14th launch of a satellite for a member of the SES Global
family of companies. ILS is scheduled to launch three more AMC
satellites on either Proton or Atlas rockets in 2003-04, and has
recently signed a fourth, as yet undisclosed, AMC mission.
Proton was back on track prior to the ILS June mission with its
April launch of the Cosmos 2397 satellite into geostationary orbit,
following a successful launch of three Glonass satellites for
the Russian government.
Add to that the signing of four new launch contracts for Proton
this year-including Eutelsat (W3A), SES Americom, and Telesat
Canada (Anik FIR)-and the Russian rocket continues to provide
strong competition for Boeing's Delta series and Ariane's IV and
V.
The largest Russian launch vehicle in operational service, Proton
has earned a 96% reliability record with 299 launches since the
mid-1960s. Proton is used to launch all Russian geostationary
and interplanetary missions under Khrunichev, while ILS oversees
the majority of commercial satellite launches.
Two versions of the Proton launch vehicle are available:
The Proton K launch vehicle is used as a three-stage vehicle
primarily to launch large space station type payloads into low-earth
orbit (LEO), and as a four-stage vehicle to launch spacecraft
into high-energy (geosynchronous transfer, geosynchronous and
interplanetary) trajectories. Proton K is capable of placing approximately
46,999 pounds into low earth orbit (LEO) and 10,868 pounds to
GTO.
The four-stage Proton M/Breeze M is the modernized version of
the Proton. It provides a 20% increase in performance, greater
payload fairing usable volume, and increased payload structural
capacity. Proton M/Breeze M has 77% commonality with heritage
systems and is flight proven. The uprated first stage engines
were phased in over a span of three years, while the Breeze M
upper stage is based on the propulsion system and core module
of the Breeze KM unit currently flying on the Rockot lightweight
class launch vehicle.
The Proton launch vehicle is built by Khrunichev State Research
and Production Space Center.
Major Proton suppliers are: Khrunichev State Research and Production
Space Center, providing principal structural elements (propellant
tanks, interstage structures, payload fairings), subsystems elements,
and overall assembly and integration for the Proton K and Proton
M launch vehicles, and the Breeze M upper stage; RSC Energia,
providing the Block DM upper stage; PPO Motorostroitel, (Perm
Motors) providing the Proton's first stage RD-253 engines designed
by Energomash; Voronezh Mechanical Works, providing the RD-0210
engines designed by Khimautomatik that power the second and third
stages of the Proton and the 11D58M Block DM fourth stage engines
designed by Isayev; KB Khimmash (Isayev), providing the RD-2000
(S5.98) main engine of the Breeze M upper stage; NPO Kommunar,
providing guidance systems for the first three stages of Proton
K; (7) NIIAP, providing guidance systems for the first three stages
of Proton M and the Block DM fourth stage; NPO Mars, providing
guidance systems for the Breeze M fourth stage; and SAAB Eriksson
Space, providing adapters for western spacecraft.
