Proton rocket development, failures and commercial launches (1965–1991)

1. UR-500 makes first successful Proton satellite launch

   Jul 16, 1965Labels: UR-500, Proton-1

   • Britannica
   • Proton sats

2. Second Proton satellite flight continues early vehicle proving

   Nov 2, 1965Labels: UR-500, Proton-satellite

   • Proton sats
   • Britannica

3. Early UR-500 test flight fails during 1966 series

   Mar 24, 1966Labels: UR-500, test-failure

   • Proton sats
   • Braeunig

4. Proton-K debuts, launching Kosmos 146 for Zond tests

   Mar 10, 1967Labels: Proton-K, Kosmos 146

   • Kosmos 146
   • Proton K

5. Proton-K launches Proton-4, last of early Proton satellites

   Nov 16, 1968Labels: Proton-K, Proton-4

   • Proton sats
   • Britannica

6. Proton-K launches Salyut 1, first space station

   Apr 19, 1971Labels: Proton-K, Salyut 1

   • NASA History
   • Salyut 1

7. Upper stage failure strands intended Mars orbiter Kosmos 419

   May 10, 1971Labels: Proton-K, Kosmos 419

   • MDPI list
   • Braeunig

8. Twin Venera 9 launch begins major Venus campaign

   Jun 8, 1975Labels: Proton-K, Venera 9

   • MDPI list
   • Venera 9

9. Twin Venera 10 launch follows days later

   Jun 14, 1975Labels: Proton-K, Venera 10

   • MDPI list
   • Venera 10

10. Salyut 6 launch marks shift to routine station operations

    Sep 29, 1977Labels: Proton-K, Salyut 6

    • Salyut 6
    • Proton K

11. Mir core module launched, starting modular station era

    Feb 19, 1986Labels: Proton-K, Mir

    • NASA History
    • Proton K

12. Kvant-1 module launch expands Mir’s research capability

    Mar 31, 1987Labels: Proton-K, Kvant-1

    • Kvant 1
    • Proton K

13. Granat observatory launch shows late-Soviet science partnerships

    Dec 1, 1989Labels: Proton, Granat

    • HEASARC
    • Britannica

14. Soviet Union dissolves, reshaping Proton’s future market

    Dec 26, 1991Labels: Soviet Union, Proton

    • Britannica
    • Britannica