The Proton is a family of Russian rockets that have been in use since 1965. The rocket line has lifted off more than 400 times, mostly to launch commercial and Russian government satellites.

They're based on the Proton rocket family the company has been launching since 1996, and are part of the company's aim to meet growing demand for small satellite launch opportunities.

The Proton rocket family returned to flight in March of this year and was followed by three successful flights until Monday's failed launch. This latest Proton rocket incident will likely lead ...

A Russian-built Proton rocket carrying the MexSat-1 communications satellite launches from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on May 16, 2015. The rocket failed about eight minutes after liftoff. A ...

The Russian rocket that exploded during lift-off on Tuesday morning has already cost the country’s government more than $200 million — the estimated value of the three GLONASS satellites that ...

Despite a problem with the rocket’s second or third stage, one of which apparently underperformed, the Proton’s Breeze-M upper stage was able to compensate with a longer burn sequence to ...

The Proton-M is a 174-foot-tall (53-meter-tall) heavy lifter with three main stages. Many of the rocket's launches also feature a fourth stage, known as the Breeze-M.

Thursday's launch is the fourth for the Angara-A5, a heavy-lift version of the new Angara family of rockets that has been developed to replace the Soviet-designed Proton rockets.

Russia planning to retire historic Proton rocket family. Pictured, the Proton rocket that launched ExoMars 2016 spacecraft to Mars. Stephane Corvaja/ESA via Getty Images The director general of ...

The Angara A5 rocket is supposed to replace Russia's Proton launch vehicle, which uses toxic propellant and only launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Angara's launch pads are on ...

The Proton rocket family returned to flight in March of this year and was followed by three successful flights until Monday's failed launch. This latest Proton rocket incident will likely lead ...