1967 November 22 - 19:07 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/D 230-01 FAILURE: Second stage - 1 x RD-0210 failure, shutoff of stage 4 seconds after ignition. Launcher crashed downrange. Soyuz 7K-L1 s/n 5L Mass: 5,390 kg (11,880 lb). Spacecraft: Soyuz 7K-L1. Agency: RVSN. The launch takes place at 00:07 local time (22:07 on 22 November Moscow time). Glushko, Chelomei, and Kamanin observe the launch from an observation point in -5 deg C weather. Three to four seconds after second stage ignition, the SAS pulls the spacecraft away from the booster. Telemetry shows that engine number 4 of stage 2 never ignited, and after 3.9 seconds the remaining three engines were shut dwon by the SBN (Booster Safety System) and the SAS abort tower fired. The capsule's radio beacon was detected and the spacecraft was found 80 km southwest of Dzhezkazgan, 285 km down range. The Proton problems are maddening. Over 100 rocket launches have used engines from this factory, with no previous failure. Of ten of the last launches under Mishin's direction (6 Soyuz and 4 L1) only two have went well - an 80% failure rate! Mishin is totally without luck. Kamanin and Leonov take an An-12 to see the L1 at its landing point. Leonov wants to see proof that the cosmonauts would be saved in any conditions. The capsule landed in -17 deg C and 12 m/s winds. The parachute pulled the capsule along the ground for 550 m, and the soft landing rockets fired somewhere above the 1.2 m design height. After safing of the APO self-destruct package, the capsule is lifted to an airfield by a Mi-4.

1968 April 22 - 23:01 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/D 232-01 FAILURE: Second stage shut-off prematurely due to short-circuit in Zond control system. Soyuz 7K-L1 s/n 7L Mass: 5,390 kg (11,880 lb). Spacecraft: Soyuz 7K-L1. Agency: RVSN. L1 launch attempt, lift-off at 02:00 local time. The spacecraft was to separate at 589 seconds into the flight. Instead at 260 seconds, a short circuit in the malfunction detection system incorrectly indicated a launch vehicle failure. This in turn triggered the SAS abort system. The SAS shut down the good stage and separated the spacecraft from the booster. The capsule landed safely 520 km downrange from the launch site. This was the third such abort, which if nothing else proved the reliability of the SAS - all of the spacecraft landed safely.

1968 November 16 - 11:40 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K 236-01 Proton 4 Mass: 16,000 kg (35,000 lb). Spacecraft: N-6 . Agency: MOM. Perigee: 248 km (154 mi). Apogee: 477 km (296 mi). Inclination: 51.60 deg. Period: 91.80 min. First launch of the Proton three-stage variant. The satellite studied the nature of high and ultra-high energy cosmic rays and their interaction with atomic nuclei. Scientific payload 12,500 kg; operated for 100 days in orbit.

1969 February 19 - 06:48 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/D 239-01 FAILURE: First-stage engine failure caused the rocket to crash 15 km from the pad. Ye-8 s/n 201 + Lunokhod s/n 201 - first stage malfunction Mass: 5,600 kg (12,300 lb). Spacecraft: Luna Ye-8. Agency: RVSN. Attempted launch of a Ye-8 with a Lunokhod lunar rover. Evidently coordinate in some way with the N1 launch two days later. A first-stage booster engine failure causes the rocket to crash 15 km from the pad after a lift-off at 09:48 local time. Kamanin meanwhile has the Hong Kong flu.

1969 April 2 - 10:33 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/D 233-01 FAILURE: First stage - 1 x RD-253 fire beginning at T+ 0.02 sec, rocket crashed near pad. M-69 s/n 522 Spacecraft: Mars M-69. Agency: RVSN. Mars probe intended to enter Martian orbit and comprehensively photograph Mars, together with a landing probe. Further Mars launches during the 1969 launch window were cancelled when this attempt resulted in a major accident, which almost wiped out all of the leaders of the space industry. The Proton rocket lifted off, but one engine failed. The vehicle flew at an altitude of 50 m horizontally, finally exploding only a short distance from the launch pad, spraying the whole complex with poisonous propellants that were quickly spread by the wind. Everyone took off in their autos to escape, but which direction to go? Finally it was decided that the launch point was the safest, but this proved to be even more dangerous - the second stage was still intact and liable to explode. The contamination was so bad that there was no way to clean up - the only possibility was just to wait for rain to wash it away. This didn't happen until the Mars launch window was closed, so the first such probe was not put into space until 1971. This accident also severely damaged plans to divert attention from America's Apollo programme during the rest of 1969. 10-12 UR-500K launches had been intended to land on the moon lunar soil return and rover robots to supplement the N1 launches.

1969 June 14 - 04:00 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/D 238-01 FAILURE: Block D upper stage did not fire and payload did not attain earth orbit,. Ye-8-5 s/n 402 Mass: 5,600 kg (12,300 lb). Spacecraft: Luna Ye-8-5. Agency: RVSN. Another attempt to launch a Ye-8-5 to return lunar soil to the earth, 'scooping', the Americans' impending Apollo 11 mission. Yet another UR-500K launch failure. This time the UR-500K booster functioned perfectly, but the Block D upper stage did not fire, and the payload did not even attain earth orbit. Every UR-500K launch is costing the Soviet state 100 million roubles. This failure pretty much ended the chances for the Russians to trump the American moon landing. Tass yesterday began running stories to prepare the masses for the upcoming Apollo 11 triumph. The party line is that the Soviet Union is not about to risks the lives of its cosmonauts on flights to the moon, when automated probes can safely retrieve soil from the moon for study on earth. Additional Details: Ye-8-5 s/n 402(4980).

1969 July 13 - 02:54 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/D 242-01 Luna 15 Mass: 5,600 kg (12,300 lb). Spacecraft: Luna Ye-8-5. Agency: MOM. Perigee: 240 km (140 mi). Apogee: 870 km (540 mi). Inclination: 126.00 deg. Period: 160.00 min. Unmanned soil return mission launched coincident with Apollo 11 mission in last ditch attempt to return lunar soil to earth before United States. After completing 86 communications sessions and 52 orbits of the Moon at various inclinations and altitudes, crashed on the moon on 20 July in an attempted landing. Altitude data used in programming inaccurate or guidance system unable to cope with effect of lunar mascons.
Officially: Testing of on-board systems of the automatic station and further scientific investigation of the moon and circumlunar space. Parameters are for lunar orbit.

1969 September 23 - 14:07 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/D 244-01 FAILURE: Block D lost LOX due to valve defect. Cosmos 300 Mass: 5,600 kg (12,300 lb). Spacecraft: Luna Ye-8-5. Agency: MOM. Perigee: 184 km (114 mi). Apogee: 189 km (117 mi). Inclination: 51.50 deg. Period: 88.20 min. Robotic lunar soil return mission. Failed to leave low earth orbit due to Block D stage failure.

1969 October 22 - 14:09 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/D 241-01 FAILURE: Block D control system failure. Cosmos 305 Mass: 5,600 kg (12,300 lb). Spacecraft: Luna Ye-8-5. Agency: MOM. Perigee: 182 km (113 mi). Apogee: 208 km (129 mi). Inclination: 51.40 deg. Period: 88.40 min. Robotic lunar soil return mission. Failed to leave low earth orbit due to Block D stage failure.

1971 April 19 - 01:40 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K 254-01 Salyut 1 Mass: 18,500 kg (40,700 lb). Spacecraft: Salyut 1. Agency: MOM. Perigee: 180 km (110 mi). Apogee: 214 km (132 mi). Inclination: 51.40 deg. Period: 88.50 min. Flight: Soyuz 10, Soyuz 11, Soyuz 12 / DOS 1. First manned space station. Salyut 1 included a number of military experiments, including the OD-4 optical visual ranger, the Orion ultraviolet instrument for characterising rocket plumes, and the highly classified Svinets radiometer. Primary objectives included photography of the earth, spectrographs of the earth's horizon, experiments with intense gamma rays, and studying manual methods for station orientation.

At 05:20 the State Commission and their guests arrive at the Area 95 observation point to view the launch. The booster takes off on schedule at 06:40 in light rain and 60 km/hr wind. The tracking station reports good orbital insertion, separation from the third stage, and antennae and solar panel deployment. But the cover of the scientific equipment bay does not separate. This will mean that many experiments cannot be accomplished. It is decided to launch the crew to the station anyway, since the station is otherwise functioning normally. The cosmonauts go to the baths in the evening. Additional Details: Salyut 1(1260).

1971 May 19 - 16:22 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/D 255-01 Mars 2 Mass: 4,650 kg (10,250 lb). Spacecraft: Mars M-71. Agency: MOM. Perigee: 1,380 km (850 mi). Apogee: 25,000 km (15,000 mi). Inclination: 48.90 deg. Period: 1,080.00 min. Mars probe intended to conduct of a series of scientific investigations of the planet Mars and the space around it. Parameters are for Mars orbit. Mid-course corrections were made on 17 June and 20 November. Mars 2 released the descent module (1971-045D) 4.5 hours before reaching Mars on 27 November 1971. The descent system malfunctioned and the lander crashed at 45 deg S, 302 deg W, delivering the Soviet Union coat of arms to the surface. Meanwhile, the orbiter engine performed a burn to put the spacecraft into a 1380 x 24,940 km, 18 hour orbit about Mars with an inclination of 48.9 degrees. Scientific instruments were generally turned on for about 30 minutes near periapsis. Data was sent back for many months. It was announced that Mars 2 and 3 had completed their missions by 22 August 1972. On-orbit dry mass: 2265 kg. Had the lander survived, data would have been relayed to the earth via the orbiter.

1971 September 2 - 13:40 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/D 256-01 Luna 18 Mass: 5,600 kg (12,300 lb). Spacecraft: Luna Ye-8-5. Agency: MOM. Perigee: 100 km (60 mi). Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). Inclination: 35.00 deg. Period: 119.00 min. Attempted lunar soil return mission; crashed while attempting to soft land at Latitude 3.57 N, Longitude 50.50 E - Mare Fecunditatis. Luna 18 used a new method of navigation in lunar orbit and for landing. The spacecraft's designer, Babakhin, had died at age 56 only the month before. Luna 18 successfully reached earth parking orbit before being put on a translunar trajectory. On September 7, 1971, it entered lunar orbit. The spacecraft completed 85 communications sessions and 54 lunar orbits before it was sent towards the lunar surface by use of braking rockets. It impacted the Moon on September 11, 1971, in a rugged mountainous terrain. Signals ceased at the moment of impact. Parameters are for lunar orbit.

1971 September 28 - 10:00 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/D 257-01 Luna 19 Mass: 5,810 kg (12,800 lb). Spacecraft: Luna Ye-8-LS. Agency: MOM. Perigee: 140 km (80 mi). Apogee: 140 km (80 mi). Inclination: 40.60 deg. Period: 121.75 min. Heavy lunar Orbiter; conducted lunar surface mapping. Luna 19 entered an intermediate earth parking orbit and was then put on a translunar trajectory by the Proton Block D stage. It entered lunar orbit on October 3, 1971. Luna 19 extended the systematic study of lunar gravitational fields and location of mascons (mass concentrations). It also studied the lunar radiation environment, the gamma-active lunar surface, and the solar wind. Photographic coverage via a television system was also obtained. Parameters are for lunar orbit.

1972 February 14 - 03:27 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/D 258-01 Luna 20 Mass: 5,600 kg (12,300 lb). Spacecraft: Luna Ye-8-5. Agency: MOM. Perigee: 100 km (60 mi). Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). Inclination: 65.00 deg. Period: 118.00 min. Soft landed on Moon; returned soil samples to Earth. Landed on Moon 21 February 1972 at 19:19:00 GMT, Latitude 3.57 N, Longitude 56.50 E - Mare Fecunditatis. Luna 20 was placed in an intermediate earth parking orbit and from this orbit was sent towards the Moon. It entered lunar orbit on February 18, 1972. On 21 February 1972, Luna 20 soft landed on the Moon in a mountainous area known as the Apollonius highlands, 120 km from where Luna 18 had crashed. While on the lunar surface, the panoramic television system was operated. Lunar samples were obtained by means of an extendable drilling apparatus. The ascent stage of Luna 20 was launched from the lunar surface on 22 February 1972 carrying 30 grams of collected lunar samples in a sealed capsule. It landed in the Soviet Union on 25 February 1972. The lunar samples were recovered the following day.

1973 July 25 - 18:55 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/D 262-01 Mars 5 Mass: 4,650 kg (10,250 lb). Spacecraft: Mars M-73. Agency: MOM. Mars probe intended to enter Martian orbit and comprehensively photograph Mars. Parameters are for Mars orbit. Mars 5 reached Mars on 12 February 1974 and was inserted into a 1760 km x 32,586 km orbit. Due to computer chip failures the orbiter operated only a few days and returned atmospheric data and images of a small portion of the Martian southern hemisphere.

1973 August 9 - 17:00 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/D 281-02 Mars 7 Mass: 4,650 kg (10,250 lb). Spacecraft: Mars M-73. Agency: MOM. Mars probe intended to make a soft landing on Mars. Mars 7 reached Mars on 9 March 1974. Due to a problem in the operation of one of the onboard systems (attitude control or retro-rockets) the landing probe separated prematurely and missed the planet by 1,300 km. The early separation was probably due to a computer chip error which resulted in degradation of the systems during the trip to Mars. Ended up in a final heliocentric orbit 1.01 x 1.69 AU, 2.2 degree inclination, 574 day period.

1974 May 29 - 08:56 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/D 282-02 Luna 22 Mass: 5,835 kg (12,863 lb). Spacecraft: Luna Ye-8-LS. Agency: MOM. Perigee: 220 km (130 mi). Apogee: 220 km (130 mi). Inclination: 19.60 deg. Period: 130.00 min. Heavy lunar orbiter. Scientific investigation of the moon and circumlunar space from the orbit of an artificial satellite of the Moon, which was begun by the Luna 19 automatic station. The spacecraft carried imaging cameras and also had the objectives of studying the Moon's magnetic field, surface gamma ray emissions and composition of lunar surface rocks, and the gravitational field, as well as micrometeoroids and cosmic rays. Luna 22 braked into a circular lunar orbit on 2 June 1974. The spacecraft made many orbit adjustments over its 18 month lifetime in order to optimise the operation of various experiments, lowering the perilune to as low as 25 km. Manoeuvring fuel was exhausted on 2 September and the mission was ended in early November. Parameters are for lunar orbit.

1974 July 29 - 12:00 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/DM 287-01 Molniya 1-S Mass: 800 kg (1,760 lb). Spacecraft: Molniya-1. Agency: MOM. Perigee: 35,738 km (22,206 mi). Apogee: 35,848 km (22,274 mi). Inclination: 14.80 deg. Period: 1,436.40 min. Evidently a unique experimental satellite. Arrangements for experimental television broadcasts and establishment of long-range radio-communications. As of 29 August 2001 located at 104.72 deg E drifting at 0.115 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 41.05E drifting at 0.029W degrees per day.

1974 October 28 - 14:30 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/D 285-01 Luna 23 Mass: 5,300 kg (11,600 lb). Spacecraft: Luna Ye-8-5. Agency: MOM. Perigee: 17 km (10 mi). Apogee: 105 km (65 mi). Failed lunar soil return mission. After successfully entering earth orbit, flying to the moon, entering lunar orbit, and descending toward the surface, the spacecraft was damaged during landing in Mare Crisium (Sea of Crises). The sample collecting apparatus could not operate and no samples were returned. The lander continued transmissions for three days after landing. In 1976, Luna 24 landed several hundred meters away and successfully returned samples. Parameters are for lunar orbit.

1974 December 26 - 04:15 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K 284-02 Salyut 4 Mass: 18,500 kg (40,700 lb). Spacecraft: Salyut 4. Agency: MOM. Perigee: 212 km (131 mi). Apogee: 251 km (155 mi). Inclination: 51.60 deg. Period: 89.10 min. Deorbited February 2, 1977.
Maneuver Summary:
211km X 250km orbit to 215km X 286km orbit. Delta V: 11 m/s
211km X 284km orbit to 276km X 344km orbit. Delta V: 35 m/s
277km X 342km orbit to 338km X 351km orbit. Delta V: 19 m/s
330km X 340km orbit to 337km X 350km orbit. Delta V: 4 m/s
337km X 349km orbit to 339km X 351km orbit. Delta V: 1 m/s
332km X 348km orbit to 348km X 355km orbit. Delta V: 6 m/s
347km X 354km orbit to 343km X 351km orbit. Delta V: 1 m/s
335km X 344km orbit to 335km X 360km orbit. Delta V: 4 m/s
335km X 360km orbit to 342km X 361km orbit. Delta V: 2 m/s
330km X 351km orbit to 344km X 353km orbit. Delta V: 4 m/s
186km X 187km orbit to 90km X 186km orbit. Delta V: 28 m/s
Total Delta V: 87/115 m/s.
Officially: Further testing of station design, on-board systems and equipment; conduct of scientific and technical research and experiments in outer space. Further testing of station design, on-board systems and equipment; conduct of scientific and technical researc h and experiments in outer space.

1975 June 8 - 02:38 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/D 286-01 Venera 9 Mass: 4,936 kg (10,882 lb). Spacecraft: Venera 4V-1. Agency: MOM. Perigee: 1,510 km (930 mi). Apogee: 112,200 km (69,700 mi). Inclination: 34.15 deg. Period: 2,898.00 min. Combined Venus orbiter/lander mission. After separation of the lander, the orbiter spacecraft entered Venus orbit and acted as a communications relay for the lander and explored cloud layers and atmospheric parameters. On October 20, 1975, the Descent Craft was separated from the Orbiter, and landing was made with the sun near zenith at 05:13 GMT on October 22. The Descent Craft included a system of circulating fluid to distribute the heat load. This system, plus precooling prior to entry, permitted operation of the spacecraft for 53 min after landing. The landing was about 2,200 km from the Venera 10 landing site. Preliminary results indicated: (A) clouds 30-40 km thick with bases at 30-35 km altitude, (B) atmospheric constituents including HCl, HF, Br, and I, (C) surface pressure about 90 (earth) atmospheres, (D) surface temperature 485 deg C, (E) light levels comparable to those at earth midlatitudes on a cloudy summer day, and (F) successful TV photography showing shadows, no apparent dust in the air, and a variety of 30-40 cm rocks which were not eroded. Venera 9 and 10 were the first probes to send back black and white pictures from the Venusian surface. They were supposed to make 360 degree panoramic shots, but on both landers one of two camera covers failed to come off, restricting their field of view to 180 degrees. Parameters are for Venus orbit.

1975 June 14 - 03:00 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/D 285-02 Venera 10 Mass: 5,033 kg (11,095 lb). Spacecraft: Venera 4V-1. Agency: MOM. Perigee: 1,620 km (1,000 mi). Apogee: 113,900 km (70,700 mi). Inclination: 29.50 deg. Period: 2,963.00 min. The orbiter spacecraft entered Venus orbit and was separated from the lander on October 23, 1975. The lander touched down with the sun near zenith, at 05:17 GMT, on October 25. A system of circulating fluid was used to distribute the heat load. This system, plus precooling prior to entry, permitted operation of the spacecraft for 65 min after landing. During descent, heat dissipation and deceleration were accomplished sequentially by protective hemispheric shells, three parachutes, a disk-shaped drag brake, and a compressible, metal, doughnut-shaped, landing cushion. The landing was about 2,200 km distant from Venera 9. Preliminary results provided: (A) profile of altitude (km)/pressure (earth atmospheres) / temperature (deg C) of 42/3.3/158, 15/37/363, and 0/92/465, (B) successful TV photography showing large pancake rocks with lava or other weathered rocks in between, and (C) surface wind speed of 3.5 m/s. Venera 9 and 10 were the first probes to send back black and white pictures from the Venusian surface. They were supposed to make 360 degree panoramic shots, but on both landers one of two camera covers failed to come off, restricting their field of view to 180 degrees.

1975 December 22 - 13:00 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/DM 288-01 Raduga 1 Mass: 1,940 kg (4,270 lb). Spacecraft: Raduga . Agency: MOM. Perigee: 35,758 km (22,218 mi). Apogee: 35,807 km (22,249 mi). Inclination: 13.30 deg. Period: 1,435.90 min. Statsionar-1. Provision of uninterrupted round-the-clock telephone and telegraph radio-communications system in the USSR, transmission of USSR central television programmes to stations in the Orbita network and international cooperation. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Indian Ocean at 85 deg E in 1975-1978? As of 27 August 2001 located at 70.55 deg E drifting at 0.084 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 85.79E drifting at 0.009E degrees per day.

1976 September 11 - 18:24 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/DM 289-01 Raduga 2 Mass: 1,940 kg (4,270 lb). Spacecraft: Raduga . Agency: MOM. Perigee: 35,704 km (22,185 mi). Apogee: 35,866 km (22,286 mi). Inclination: 13.10 deg. Period: 1,436.00 min. Statsionar 1. Provision of uninterrupted round the clock telephone and telegraph radiocommunication in the USSR and simultaneous transmission of colour and black-and-white USSR central television programmes to stations in the Orbita network. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Indian Ocean at 86 deg E in 1976-1980? As of 28 August 2001 located at 67.16 deg E drifting at 0.070 deg E per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 72.27E drifting at 0.098W degrees per day.

1976 October 26 - 14:50 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/DM 290-01 Ekran 1 Mass: 1,970 kg (4,340 lb). Spacecraft: Ekran . Agency: MOM. Perigee: 35,516 km (22,068 mi). Apogee: 36,080 km (22,410 mi). Inclination: 13.00 deg. Period: 1,436.70 min. Statsionar T. Transmission of colour and black-and-white USSR central television programmes to the network of public receiving units located in population centres in Siberia and the Far North. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit over the Indian Ocean at 99 deg E in 1976-1978 As of 29 August 2001 located at 68.75 deg E drifting at 0.171 deg E per day. As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 73.60E drifting at 0.187W degrees per day.

1976 December 15 - 01:30 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K 289-02 Cosmos 881 Mass: 4,250 kg (9,360 lb). Spacecraft: TKS VA . Agency: MOM. Perigee: 201 km (124 mi). Apogee: 241 km (149 mi). Inclination: 51.60 deg. Period: 88.90 min. Launch of mission LVI-1 came at 04:00 on 15 December. At 176 seconds the ADU escape tower separated from the LVI. Once the final stage had shut down in orbit, by command from the launch vehicle sequencer, the VA 009A (also given as 009P) and its TDU separated from the LVI. Two seconds later VA 009 (or 009L) was ejected. Fifteen minutes after launch all systems of the both VA capsules were in operation. The guidance system detected the direction of flight and oriented each spacecraft for retro-fire, and the pair began the return to earth after less than one revolution. At an external atmospheric pressure of 165 mm (10 km altitude) the NO section jettisoned, the three-cupola drogue parachute ejected, and the antennae and altimeter were deployed. The Komara landing radio beacon (installed on the landing section of the parachute) was activated when the spacecraft was 1.0 to 1.5 m above the ground - which occurred at the same moment on both 009 and 009A. The Kaktus special system tripped the soft landing PRSP (parachute landing propulsion system). The soft landing was accomplished with higher accuracy than Soyuz, both capsules being recovered at 44 deg N, 73 deg E, on December 15, 1976 3:00 GMT. The flights were officially given the designations Cosmos 881 (VA 009A) and Cosmos 882 (VA 009). US intelligence believed them to be tests of recoverable manned spaceplane prototypes.

1977 July 17 - 09:00 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K 293-02 Cosmos 929 Mass: 19,000 kg (41,000 lb). Spacecraft: TKS . Agency: MOM. Perigee: 226 km (140 mi). Apogee: 260 km (160 mi). Inclination: 51.60 deg. Period: 89.40 min. First test of TKS manned shuttle. Maneuvered extensively. TKS-VA capsule returned to earth August 16, 1977. Deorbited February 2, 1978.
Maneuver Summary:
214 km X 261 km orbit to 215 km X 279 km orbit. Delta V: 5 m/s
207 km X 261 km orbit to 208 km X 264 km orbit. Delta V: 1 m/s
208 km X 260 km orbit to 209 km X 267 km orbit. Delta V: 2 m/s
192 km X 222 km orbit to 219 km X 232 km orbit. Delta V: 9 m/s
219 km X 232 km orbit to 303 km X 327 km orbit. Delta V: 51 m/s
303 km X 327 km orbit to 312 km X 318 km orbit. Delta V: 4 m/s
312 km X 319 km orbit to 314 km X 325 km orbit. Delta V: 1 m/s
284 km X 294 km orbit to 290 km X 301 km orbit. Delta V: 3 m/s
288 km X 300 km orbit to 286 km X 305 km orbit. Delta V: 1 m/s
285 km X 303 km orbit to 439 km X 447 km orbit. Delta V: 84 m/s
437 km X 448 km orbit to 335 km X 437 km orbit. Delta V: 31 m/s
335 km X 437 km orbit to 337 km X 438 km orbit. Delta V: 1 m/s
337 km X 438 km orbit to 90 km X 337 km orbit. Delta V: 100 m/s
Total Delta V: 193/293 m/s
Officially: Investigation of the upper atmosphere and outer space.

1977 August 4 - 22:00 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K 293-01 FAILURE: First stage engine steering unit failure at T+40.1 seconds. TKS VA s/n 009L/P Mass: 4,250 kg (9,360 lb). Spacecraft: TKS VA. Agency: RVSN. Spacecraft lost in booster explosion.

1977 September 29 - 06:50 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K 295-01 Salyut 6 Mass: 19,824 kg (43,704 lb). Spacecraft: Salyut 6. Agency: MOM. Perigee: 188 km (116 mi). Apogee: 237 km (147 mi). Inclination: 51.60 deg. Period: 88.70 min. Conduct of scientific and technical research and experiments; further testing of station design, on-board system and equipment. Soyuz 25 docking unsuccessful. EVA 20 Dec 1977 to examine forward docking port (no damage). EVA 29 July 1978 to retrieve externally mounted experiments (micrometeorites, biopolymers, radiation plates, materials tests). Soyuz 33 failure to dock due to propulsion failure April 1979. Soyuz 34 launched unmanned to provide replacement vehicle June 1979. EVA August 15 to dislodge 10 m diameter KRT-10 radio telescope from aft docking collar. Repair mission Soyuz T-3 December 1980 (temperature control hydraulics). Repair mission Soyuz T-4 March 1981 (stuck solar array). Salyut ejected a module on May 31 (perhaps retained Soyuz Orbital Module). Kosmos 1267 docks 19 June 1981. Commanded to reentry using Kosmos 1267 propulsion system over Pacific July 29 1982. Additional Details: Salyut 6(2186).

1978 March 30 - 00:00 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K 292-01 Cosmos 997 Mass: 4,250 kg (9,360 lb). Spacecraft: TKS VA . Agency: MOM. Perigee: 200 km (120 mi). Apogee: 230 km (140 mi). Inclination: 51.60 deg. Period: 88.70 min. Flight: Cosmos 997. Given the on-pad explosion of the LVI-2 launch attempt, plans to crew the upper VA re-entry capsule in the next test was abandoned. LVI-3 (VA's 102P and 102L / Cosmos 997 and Cosmos 998) was launched unmanned four months behind the original schedule. Both capsules were recovered after one orbit. One source indicates that one of the capsules was 009P, on its third launch and second flight to orbit. This was said to have demonstrated the multiple re-entry capability of the heat shield and the first planned reuse of a spacecraft (Gemini 2 was refurbished and reflown as MOL-1 in the 1960's, but was not designed for that purpose).

1978 September 14 - 02:25 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/D-1 296-02 Venera 12 Mass: 4,715 kg (10,394 lb). Spacecraft: Venera 4V-1. Agency: MOM. Venera 12 was part of a two-spacecraft mission to study Venus and the interplanetary medium. Each of the two spacecraft, Venera 11 and Venera 12, consisted of a flight platform and a lander probe. Identical instruments were carried on both spacecraft. Venera 12 was launched into a 177 x 205 km, 51.5 degree inclination Earth orbit from which it was propelled into a 3.5 month Venus transfer orbit which involved two mid-course corrections, on 21 September and 14 December. After ejection of the lander probe on 19 December, two days before encounter, the flight platform continued on past Venus in a heliocentric orbit. Near encounter with Venus occurred on December 21, 1978, at approximately 34,000 km altitude. The flight platform acted as a data relay for the descent craft for 110 minutes until it flew out of range and returned to its own measurements on interplanetary space. The Venera 12 descent craft entered the Venus atmosphere at 11.2 km/sec two days after separation from the flight bus. During the descent, it employed aerodynamic braking followed by parachute braking and ending with atmospheric braking. It made a soft landing on the surface at 06:30 Moscow time on 21 December after a descent time of approximately 1 hour. The touchdown speed was 7-8 m/s.

Both Venera 11 and 12 landers failed to return colour television views of the surface and perform soil analysis experiments. All of the camera protective covers failed to eject after landing (the cause was not established) The soil drilling experiment was apparently damaged by a leak in the soil collection device, the interior of which was exposed to the high Venusian atmospheric pressure. The leak had probably formed during the descent phase because the lander was less aerodynamically stable than had been thought. Therefore the landing gear of the following two landers (Venera-13/14) were equipped with tooth-shaped stabilisers.

Results reported included evidence of lightning and thunder, a high Ar36/Ar40 ratio, and the discovery of carbon monoxide at low altitudes.

The Venera-12 flyby bus continued in solar orbit and successfully used its Soviet-French ultraviolet spectrometer to study Comet Bradfield on 13 February 1980 (one year and two months after its Venus encounter). At that time the spacecraft was 190,373,790 km from Earth.

1979 April 20 - TKS VA s/n 008 Mass: 4,250 kg (9,360 lb). Spacecraft: TKS VA . Flight: TKS VA s/n 008. On 20 April 1979 LVI-4 VA (VA s/n 103 and s/n 008) was awaiting launch. The booster ignited, but then shut down on the pad. This triggered the launch escape system, which pulled the top capsule away from the booster. The parachute system failed and the capsule crashed to the ground. The lower capsule remained in the rocket. The top capsule was to have been manned, but the inability to demonstrate two consecutive failure-free launches of the Proton/TKS-VA combination made that (luckily) impossible.

1979 April 20 - Launch Vehicle: Proton. LV Model: Proton-K . Proton 8K82K s/n 300-02 FAILURE: Engines ignited but immediately shut down on launch pad. Booster could be reused with new payload. Spacecraft: TKS VA .

1979 May 22 - 23:00 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K 300-02 Cosmos 1100 Mass: 4,250 kg (9,360 lb). Spacecraft: TKS VA . Agency: MOM. Perigee: 193 km (119 mi). Apogee: 222 km (137 mi). Inclination: 51.60 deg. Period: 88.60 min. Flight: Cosmos 1100. The Proton launch vehicle that shut down on the original LVI-4 launch attempt was undamaged, and just a month later, with a switch of payload, LVI-4 was orbited as Cosmos 1100 and 1101. The pair launched were the 102P/102L twins from LVI-3. One capsule failed when the automatic system suffered an electrical distribution failure and it did not land correctly, spending two orbits in space, while the other landed as planned after one orbit. The launch again successfully demonstrated the reusability of the VA capsule. Plans to launch the upper capsule manned were scrubbed due to the inability to get two consecutive failure-free launches of the Proton/TKS-VA.

1999 July 5 - 13:32 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/Briz-M 389-01 FAILURE: Second stage explosion. Raduga Spacecraft: Raduga. Agency: RVSN. Apogee: 30 km (18 mi). Carried a Russian Defence Ministry communications satellite. First attempted flight of the Khrunichev Briz-M upper stage in place of the usual Block DM. After the second stage explosion the remainder of the vehicle survived for 45 seconds before breaking up. Debris landed near Karaganda. As a result of this accident the Kazakh government suspended launches from Baikonur pending Russian agreement to pay back part of rent owed.

2000 June 6 - 02:59 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/Briz-M 392-01 Gorizont Mass: 2,125 kg (4,684 lb). Spacecraft: Gorizont. Agency: Kos Svya. Perigee: 35,779 km (22,231 mi). Apogee: 35,798 km (22,243 mi). Inclination: 0.30 deg. Period: 1,436.20 min. Communications satellite. First successful Proton/Briz-M launch. The Proton placed the Briz-M/Gorizont payload stack into a suborbital trajectory. The stage then performed four maneuvers to put the satellite into geosynchronous orbit:

• Burn 1 placed the stack into a 200 km, 51.6 deg parking orbit probably inclined at around 51.6
• Burn 2 raised apogee to 6000 km and changed inclination slightly
• Burn 3, at second perigee, four hours after launch put the stack in a 369 x 34,988 km x 48.8 deg transfer orbit. The Briz-M then jettisoned its empty toroidal supplementary fuel tank.
• Burn 4, ten hours after launch, placed Gorizont No. 45L in near-geostationary orbit.

2000 June 30 - 22:08 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/DM-2M (DM3) 400-01 Sirius 1 Mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb). Spacecraft: FS-1300. Agency: Sirius R. Perigee: 24,465 km (15,201 mi). Apogee: 47,107 km (29,270 mi). Inclination: 63.40 deg. Period: 1,436.10 min. Digital Audio Radio Satellite, used for transmission of S-band radio broadcasts direct to receivers in cars in the United States. Sirius 1 was inserted into an initial 6,166 x 47110 km x 63.4 deg transfer orbit by the Proton-K's Blok DM3 upper stage. The satellite's R4D liquid apogee engine made several burns to raise the orbit to 24,388 x 47,097 km x 63.3 deg by July 8. This elliptical, inclined 24 hour orbit had a 24 hour period, designed to keep the satellite between longitude 60W and 140W, with apogee over the northern hemisphere. Stationed at 66 deg W. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 66 deg W in 2000. As of 6 September 2001 located at 65.59 deg W drifting at 0.015 deg E per day. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 65.37W drifting at 0.004E degrees per day.

2000 August 28 - 20:08 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/DM-2 401-02 Raduga-1 Mass: 2,400 kg (5,200 lb). Spacecraft: Raduga-1. Agency: MO RF. Perigee: 35,776 km (22,230 mi). Apogee: 35,791 km (22,239 mi). Inclination: 0.10 deg. Period: 1,435.90 min. Raduga-1 military communications satellite initially named Cosmos 2372 by the RVSN press service. Stationed at 50 deg E. As of 5 September 2001 located at 49.25 deg E drifting at 0.048 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 45.70E drifting at 0.012W degrees per day.

2000 October 13 - 14:12 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/DM-2 393-01 Cosmos 2374 Mass: 1,415 kg (3,119 lb). Spacecraft: Glonass. Agency: MO RF. Perigee: 19,124 km (11,883 mi). Apogee: 19,136 km (11,890 mi). Inclination: 64.60 deg. Period: 675.70 min. Three navigation satellites for the GLONASS system were launched by a single Proton-K/Blok DM-2 upper stage into an initial 160 km x 64.8 deg parking orbit. The Blok DM-2 made two burns to maneuver into a 19120 x 19120 km x 64.8 deg orbit and deployed the three satellites about four hours after launch.

2001 April 7 - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-M/Briz-M 535-01 Ekran-M No. 18 Mass: 1,970 kg (4,340 lb). Spacecraft: Ekran-M. Agency: GPKS. Perigee: 35,771 km (22,227 mi). Apogee: 35,801 km (22,245 mi). Inclination: 1.10 deg. Period: 1,436.10 min. Direct Broadcasting satellite. Maiden flight of new version of Proton. Launch delayed from August 2000, March 16 and April 6. Ekran-M No. 18 was a UHF television broadcasting satellite which was to be stationed at 99 deg E to provided television service to the Russian Far East. The satellite had a launch mass of around 2100 kg and was to replace the recently failed Ekran-M 15 that had been operating since October 1992 at the 105 deg-E longitude orbital slot.

The improved 3-stage Proton launch vehicle, with a new digital flight control system and enhanced first stage engines, delivered its payload section to a suborbital trajectory at 0356 GMT. The Briz-M upper stage then fired to enter a 200 km parking orbit. It appears that only two more burns were used to reach geostationary orbit: one at around 0440 GMT to enter a 200 x 35800 km GTO, after which the Briz-M toroidal drop tank was jettisoned, and one at around 1000 GMT, to circularize the orbit at geostationary altitude. Briz-M reportedly separated from its payload at 1031 GMT. Ekran was expected to reach its 99 deg E final location on around April 24. As of 5 September 2001 located at 99.27 deg E drifting at 0.009 deg E per day. As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 99.30E drifting at 0.005W degrees per day.

2001 August 24 - 20:35 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/DM-2 404-01 Cosmos 2379 Spacecraft: Prognoz SPRN. Agency: VKS (Russia). Perigee: 35,768 km (22,225 mi). Apogee: 35,810 km (22,250 mi). Inclination: 1.60 deg. Period: 1,436.20 min. Launch delayed from August 23. Early-warning geosynchronous satellite. The Proton upper stage entered a geostationary transfer orbit after its first burn at 2152 GMT. A second burn was at 0310 GMT put the payload into its operational orbit. It was to provide early warning of missiles launched from the United States with the help of a heat-sensing array of detectors. According to the Moscow Kommersant newspaper, these early warning geosynchronous satellites belong to the US-KMO group, also known as Prognoz fleet, while the highly elliptical complement belongs to the US-KS group, also known as Oko fleet, both supplemented by about eight ground-based radars. As of 6 September 2001 located at 80.17 deg E drifting at 0.031 deg E per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 23.84W drifting at 0.002W degrees per day.

2001 October 6 - 16:45 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/DM-2 405-01? Raduga-1 Mass: 2,000 kg (4,400 lb). Spacecraft: Raduga-1. Agency: VKS (Russia). Perigee: 35,770 km (22,220 mi). Apogee: 35,801 km (22,245 mi). Inclination: 0.90 deg. Period: 1,436.00 min. The Blok-DM2 upper stage put the Russian geosynchronous military communications satellite into a geosynchronous transfer orbit at 1755 GMT. A second burn at 2318 GMT to circularized the orbit at geostationary altitude. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 106.48E drifting at 9.104W degrees per day.

2001 December 1 - 18:04 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/DM-2 405-02? Cosmos 2380 Mass: 1,415 kg (3,119 lb). Spacecraft: Glonass. Agency: KNITs (Russia). Perigee: 19,114 km (11,876 mi). Apogee: 19,146 km (11,896 mi). Inclination: 64.90 deg. Period: 675.70 min. Three navigation satellites of the GLONASS system were launched to replenish the constellation. This was the second end-of-year replenishment launch since 2000.

2002 May 7 - 17:00 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/DM-2M (DM3) 404-02 DirecTV-5 Mass: 3,640 kg (8,020 lb). Spacecraft: FS-1300. Agency: DirecTV. Perigee: 35,774 km (22,228 mi). Apogee: 35,799 km (22,244 mi). Inclination: 0.00 deg. Period: 1,436.10 min. Direct Broadcasting satellite. Launch delayed from October 2000, February, May 21 and October19, 2001, as the user and launch provider moved the payload from Proton to Atlas 2AS and then back again to Proton. The DM3 upper stage made two burns to put the DirecTV satellite in a 6568 x 35809 km x 17.7 deg transfer orbit. The Loral FS-1300 class satellite used its R-4D apogee engine to reach geostationary orbit at 129 W by May 19. The DirecTV satellite broadcasting company was a subsidiary of GM/Hughes. As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 110.11W drifting at 0.004W degrees per day.

2002 July 25 - 15:13 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/17S40 (DM-5) Cosmos 2392 Mass: 2,600 kg (5,700 lb). Spacecraft: Arkon-1. Perigee: 1,506 km (935 mi). Apogee: 1,774 km (1,102 mi). Inclination: 63.50 deg. Period: 119.10 min. This was the second launch of the Arkon-1 electro-optical reconnaissance. The 17S40 Blok DM5 upper stage and satellite were placed by the Proton into a parking orbit. The DM then made two burns to place the satellite in its 1500 x 1836 km x 64.4 deg operational orbit.

2002 December 29 - 23:17 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-M/Briz-M 535-02 Nimiq 2 Mass: 3,600 kg (7,900 lb). Spacecraft: AS 2100. Agency: Télésat Canada. Perigee: 35,787 km (22,236 mi). Apogee: 35,796 km (22,242 mi). Inclination: 0.10 deg. Period: 1,436.30 min. Payload moved from Atlas 5. Direct broadcast satellite. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 82.05W drifting at 0.004W degrees per day.

2003 April 24 - 04:23 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/DM-2 410-02 Cosmos 2397 Mass: 2,155 kg (4,750 lb). Spacecraft: Prognoz SPRN. Agency: VKS. Perigee: 35,886 km (22,298 mi). Apogee: 35,928 km (22,324 mi). Inclination: 2.20 deg. Period: 1,442.30 min. As of 2007 Mar 9 located at 60.65W drifting at 0.723E degrees per day.

2003 December 10 - 17:42 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/Briz-M 410-03 Cosmos 2402 Mass: 1,415 kg (3,119 lb). Spacecraft: Glonass. Agency: KNITs. Perigee: 19,018 km (11,817 mi). Apogee: 19,314 km (12,001 mi). Inclination: 65.10 deg. Period: 677.20 min. Three navigation satellites of the GLONASS system were launched to replenish the constellation. This was the fourth end-of-year replenishment launch since 2000.

2004 March 15 - 23:06 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-M/Briz-M 535-03 W3A Mass: 4,250 kg (9,360 lb). Spacecraft: Spacebus 3000. Agency: Eutelsat. Perigee: 35,761 km (22,220 mi). Apogee: 35,811 km (22,251 mi). Inclination: 0.10 deg. Period: 1,436.10 min. Moved from Ariane 5. The satellite was to provide a full range of telecommunications applications including digital DVB broadcasting, multimedia, broadband access and pay-per-use bandwidth for corporate networks over a large zone covering Europe and Africa, for a minimum of 12 years. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 6.95E drifting at 0.006W degrees per day.

2005 February 3 - 02:27 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-M/Briz-M 535-09 AMC-12 Mass: 5,000 kg (11,000 lb). Spacecraft: Spacebus 4000. Agency: SES Americom. Perigee: 35,782 km (22,233 mi). Apogee: 35,791 km (22,239 mi). Inclination: 0.10 deg. Period: 1,436.10 min. Americom 12 satellite, also known as Worldsat 2. The first Alcatel Spacebus 4000 satellite to be launched.

2005 December 25 - 05:07 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/DM-2 410-11 Cosmos 2417 Mass: 1,415 kg (3,119 lb). Spacecraft: Glonass. Agency: KNITs. Perigee: 19,110 km (11,870 mi). Apogee: 19,130 km (11,880 mi). Inclination: 64.80 deg. The Block D upper stage delivered three GLONASS navigation satellites into their planned orbits at 08:39 GMT. These satellites were placed in GLONASS orbit plane 3. The satellites had an extended seven-year service life compared to earlier models. This was the sixth end-of-year replenishment launch since 2000. When operational they brought the total of operational GLONASS SVs in orbit to 16. The launch was part of a Russian government-funded program to replenish and expand the Glonass constellation to at least 18 operating satellites satellites by 2007 (compared to 14 satellites at the end of 2005). In 2006 launch of a new Glonass satellite design with a ten-year service was planned.

2006 December 24 - 20:18 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/DM-2 410-15 Cosmos 2424 Mass: 2,480 kg (5,460 lb). Spacecraft: Glonass. Agency: KNITs. Three Glonass satellites are lofted in a single launch in support of restoring the Glonass navigation satellite constellation to full military and commercial functionality. They were placed in Glonass orbit plane 2, beginning its population. At the time of launch the constellation consisted of 11 operational spacecraft, and five more on-orbit spares. A fully operational constellation would consist of 24 satellites - eight in each of three orbital planes. Only two planes were populated by 2006 - the full complement of 24 satellites was not to be reached until 2009. This was the first launch to repopulate plane 2; planes 1 and 3 had satellites operational.

2007 October 26 - 07:35 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Proton-K/DM-2 410-17 Cosmos 2431 Spacecraft: Glonass. Agency: KNITs. Perigee: 19,128 km (11,885 mi). Apogee: 19,130 km (11,880 mi). Inclination: 64.90 deg. Period: 675.70 min. Three Uragan-M satellites were launched to replenish the Glonass navigation system, placed in GLONASS orbit plane 3. Cosmos 2431 set to operational on 4 December; plane/slot 3/17, frequency channel -1

2007 December 9 - 00:15 GMT - Launch Vehicle: Proton. Cosmos 2434 Spacecraft: Raduga-1. Perigee: 35,772 km (22,227 mi). Apogee: 35,802 km (22,246 mi). Inclination: 0.10 deg. Period: 1,436.10 min. Raduga-1 / Globus communications satellite.