The Proton launch vehicle system current status

Abstract

ILS, International Launch Services, is a joint venture established to combine two of the world's premier launch vehicles, the Atlas and Proton. On the Proton side of the ILS family, Lockheed Martin Corporation of the United States (through its subsidiary, Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Company, Inc.), together with Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center and NPO Energia of the Republic of Russia, formed the Lockheed Khrunichev-Energia International (LKE) joint venture to market the Proton launch vehicle commercially, to non-Russian Government customers worldwide. The Proton is the largest launch vehicle offered in commercial service, with an operational history encompassing approximately 200 flights and a demonstrated reliability over the last five years in excess of 96%. Details of the Proton, its performance, and operational characteristics are discussed. Aspects of the services offered and future enhancements are reviewed. Overview of the Lockheed-Khrunichev-Energia International Joint Venture LKE is a commercial joint venture of Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Company, Inc. (LCSC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Missiles & Space Company, Inc.), Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center (Khrunichev), the Russian manufacturer of the first three stages of the Proton space launch vehicle, and NPO Energia (Energia), the Russian manufacturer of the Proton's fourth stage. LKE's Proton Launch Service offers commercial access to the highly reliable Proton launch vehicle, and associated launch and supporting services. LKE functions as a single point of contact for Western users of the Proton, serving as prime contractor to oversee the integration and launch of customer spacecraft on Proton, and providing full coordination between vehicle manufacturing subcontractors, spacecraft builders and integrators, governments, and insurance providers. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space Company. Inc. (LMSC). LMSC has been a major contractor in the US space industry for nearly 40 years. Its space and missile customers include the US Air Force, Navy, Army, and NASA. LMSC has built more than 350 Agena upper stages, beginning in the 1950's, and has integrated spacecraft onto every major US launch vehicle. It has developed, produced and launched more US space vehicles than all other aerospace prime contractors combined. LMSC is presently prime contractor for the Navy's Fleet Ballistic Missile Program, and is also engaged in the development of a family of small commercial launch vehicles. Other Lockheed Corporation subsidiaries on whose expertise LMSC can draw include Lockheed Engineering and Sciences Company (LESC), engineering support contractor at the NASA Johnson Space Center, and Lockheed Space Operations Company (LSOC), operator of the Space Shuttle for NASA at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and the Edwards Air Force Base and White Sands Missile Range shuttle landing areas. LMSC personnel have expertise in all aspects of spacecraft integration, space launch vehicle processing, and space mission operations. Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center (Khrunichev). Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center was responsible (through its Salyut Design Bureau subsidiary) for the original design of the Proton launch vehicle in the early 1960's. Khrunichev has manufactured approximately 200 Protons to date. Khrunichev has been identified by the Russian government as a principal asset of the Russian space program, and is committed to the continued production of the Proton, and its support at the Baikonur launch center. NPO Energia (Energia). Energia is the largest space manufacturing and operations organization in Russia. It produces the fourth stage of the Proton, the DM, and supports integration and operation of the Block DM at the Baikonur launch complex.