[FPSPACE] Proton 4

[Brian Harvey]

My understanding is there were two series within Proton, the Proton 1 
series, 13 tonnes (Proton 1-3) and the Proton 2 series (17 tonnes, 
Proton 4), the Proton 2 series focussing on a different range of 
particles.  When Proton was abandoned as a military missile, Chelomei 
invented the idea of a large scientific satellite, with a lot of 
shielding (hence the heavy weight), as a visibly 'scientific' way of 
introducing the new rocket.  The Proton 2 series was probably supposed 
to have been launched long before November 1968 but was delayed as the 
Proton was assigned to more urgent tasks.


Brian Harvey
Dublin, Ireland