Russian Proton rocket crashes to the ground

A Russian Proton rocket spun out of control and crashed to the ground soon after launch on Monday. The rocket, launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, was carrying three GLONASS navigation satellites.

The Proton launch vehicle is manufactured by the Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center (KhSC) based in Moscow. International Launch Services (ILS), based in Reston, Va., markets the Proton booster for commercial satellite launches.

Proton Facts & Figures

• Proton is responsible for launching 30 percent of global commercial satellites.
• There have been over 380 Proton launches since its maiden flight in 1965; 81 of which were for International Launch Services commercial customers.
• The value of all commercial contracts signed to date equates to approximately $7.5 billion dollars.
• Commercial Proton launches have provided approximately 50 percent of Khrunichev’s revenues over the past decade.
• This business helps to provide over 40,000 jobs at KhSC and over 100,000 jobs throughout Russia.
• ILS has maintained a healthy backlog which now equates to approx. $1.5 billion for 15 missions.
• Over the past six years, Proton has launched an average of 10 times per year.
• So far in 2013, ILS has launched four commercial missions.

Source: International Launch Services

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