Manufacturer: Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center

Height: 58.2 meters (191 feet)

Diameter: 7.4 meters (24.3 feet)

Mass: 705,000 kg (1,554,000 lb)

Payload to LEO: 23,000 kg (50,706 lb)

Payload to GTO: 6,300 kg (13,889 lb)

Stages: 3 or 4

Engines:First Stage: 6 RD-275 engines, Second Stage: 3 RD-0210 engines,Third Stage: 1 RD-0213 engine, Fourth Stage (optional): Briz-M or Blok-D upper stage

Launch Sites: Baikonur

Description

The Proton-M is a Russian heavy-lift launch vehicle developed by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center. It is an upgraded version of the Proton-K and has been in service since 2001. The rocket is primarily used for commercial satellite launches, interplanetary missions, and military payloads.

Stages: 3

Upper Stage: None (basic version)

Payload Capacity:

Low Earth Orbit (LEO): ~23,000 kg

Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO): Not available in this configuration

Usage: Rarely used, primarily for large LEO payloads

Proton-M / Briz-M

Stages: 3 + Briz-M upper stage

Upper Stage: Briz-M, a restartable upper stage for high-precision orbit placement

Payload Capacity:

LEO: ~22,000 kg

GTO: ~6,300 kg

Geostationary Orbit (GEO): ~3,000–3,500 kg

Usage:

Commercial satellite launches (Intelsat, Eutelsat, Inmarsat)

Deep-space missions (ExoMars 2016, Fobos-Grunt)

Military payloads

Proton-M / Blok DM-03

Stages: 3 + Blok DM-03 upper stage

Upper Stage: Blok DM-03, a derivative of the Blok-DM used in previous Proton and Energia rockets

Payload Capacity:

LEO: ~23,000 kg

GTO: ~6,700 kg

Usage: Primarily used for Russian military and government satellites

Missions

Commercial Satellite Launches

Proton-M is widely used to deploy geostationary communication satellites for major satellite operators.

  • Eutelsat – Launched multiple communications satellites for European markets.
  • Intelsat – Placed international telecommunications satellites in orbit.
  • Inmarsat – Supported mobile satellite communications for global services.
  • OneWeb – Launched broadband satellites for a worldwide internet constellation.

Interplanetary & Scientific Missions

Proton-M has supported deep space exploration and scientific research missions.

ExoMars 2016 – Launched the ESA/Roscosmos Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) to Mars.

Fobos-Grunt (2011) – A failed Russian mission to return samples from Phobos, a Martian moon.

Spektr-R (2011) – A Russian space telescope designed for high-resolution astrophysical studies.

GLONASS Satellites – Launched multiple satellites for Russia’s global navigation system.