# Khrunichev Proton M
*launch services*

## Specifications
- **entity type**: launch_service
- **last verified date**: 2026-06-16
- **verified by**: community
- **claim status**: unclaimed
- **attributes**: {}

## Editorial
Proton-M is a three-stage heavy-lift launch vehicle using N2O4/UDMH propellant across all stages, with an optional Briz-M or Blok DM upper stage for geostationary missions.[^wikipedia-proton-m] Payload capacity reaches 23,000 kg to LEO (200 km), 6,920 kg to GTO with Briz-M,[^ils-proton-breeze] and 3,250 kg to GSO.[^wikipedia-proton-m] The vehicle uses a 4.35 m diameter fairing in short or long configurations.[^wikipedia-proton-m] First launched on 2001-04-07, Proton-M has completed 116 flights with 105 successes and 11 failures as of 2026.[^wikipedia-proton-m]

The vehicle is active but in wind-down: the last flight was 2026-02-12, with planned retirement before 2030.[^nasaspaceflight-elektro-l5] Proton-M has been the primary vehicle for the Elektro-L geostationary weather satellite series, including Elektro-L No.2 (2015), No.3 (2019), No.4 (2023), and No.5 (2026-02-12), the final mission using the Blok DM upper stage.[^nasaspaceflight-elektro-l5]

## Sources
- [wikipedia-proton-m] | Proton-M, Wikipedia | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proton-M | tier=community | accessed=2026-06-16
- [ils-proton-breeze] | Proton Breeze M, International Launch Services (ILS) | https://www.ilslaunch.com/launch-vehicle/proton-breeze-m/ | tier=operator-marketing | accessed=2026-06-16
- [nasaspaceflight-elektro-l5] | Proton-M launches Elektro-L No.5 on final DM mission, NASASpaceFlight.com, Feb 2026 | https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2026/02/elektro-l-no5-launch/ | tier=community | accessed=2026-06-16

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Source: https://eo-atlas.org/launch_services/khrunichev-proton-m
Maintainer: SpectraWorks B.V. (CC-BY 4.0)