The
Proton (Прото́н)
rocket (formal designation:
UR-500, also known as
D-1/
D-1e or
SL-12/
SL-13) is a
Russian unmanned space vehicle design, first launched in
1965. It is still in use as of
2015 for both commercial and government launches. This makes it one of the most successful heavy boosters in the history of spaceflight. All Protons launch from
Baikonur Cosmodrome in
Kazakhstan.
The name "Proton" originates from a series of large scientific satellites, which were among the rocket's first payloads. The enormous capacity of the new rocket allowed the heavy materials used in particle detectors. Thus the Proton satellites were pioneers of high-energy astronomy. Like many Soviet boosters, the name of the recurring payloads became associated with their launchers.
Payloads can be fitted with either a Blok D or Briz-M upper stage. Launch capacity to low Earth orbit is about 22 tonnes (44,000 lbm). Interplanetary transfer capacity is about 5–6 tonnes (11,000–13,000 lbm).
Joseph Francis Shea (September 5, 1925 – February 14, 1999) was an
American aerospace engineer and
NASA manager. Born in the
New York City borough of
the Bronx, he was educated at the
University of Michigan, receiving a
Ph.D. in
Engineering Mechanics in 1955. After working for
Bell Labs on the radio
inertial guidance system of the
Titan I intercontinental ballistic missile, he was hired by NASA in 1961. As Deputy Director of NASA's Office of Manned Space Flight, and later as head of the Apollo Spacecraft Program Office, Shea played a key role in shaping the course of the
Apollo program, helping to lead NASA to the decision in favor of
lunar orbit rendezvous and supporting "all up" testing of the
Saturn V rocket. While sometimes causing controversy within the agency, Shea was remembered by his former colleague
George Mueller as "one of the greatest
systems engineers of our time".
Deeply involved in the investigation of the 1967 Apollo 1 fire, Shea suffered a nervous breakdown as a result of the stress that he suffered. He was removed from his position and left NASA shortly afterwards. From 1968 until 1990 he worked as a senior manager at Raytheon in Lexington, Massachusetts, and thereafter became an adjunct professor of aeronautics and astronautics at MIT. While Shea served as a consultant for NASA on the redesign of the International Space Station in 1993, he was forced to resign from the position due to health issues.
