Russia’s Proton rocket, which predates Apollo, will finally stop flying

[DocM]

Toxic propellants, reliability issues, Falcon 9 and then Falcon Heavy taking its customer base....now the inevitable,

 

ARS...

 

Russia’s Proton rocket, which predates Apollo, will finally stop flying

Technical problems, rise of SpaceX are contributing factors.

The Russian-manufactured Proton rocket has been flying into space since before humans landed on the Moon. First launched in 1965, the rocket was initially conceived of as a booster to fly two-person crews around the Moon, as the Soviet Union sought to beat NASA into deep space. Indeed, some of its earliest missions launched creatures, including two turtles, to the Moon and back.

But now, Russian officials confirm, the Proton rocket will finally reach its end. In an interview with a Russian publication, Roscosmos head Dmitry Rogozin said production of the Proton booster will cease as production shifts to the new Angara booster. (A translation of this article was provided to Ars by Robinson Mitchell, a former US Air Force Airborne Cryptologic Language Analyst). No new Proton contracts are likely to be signed.

Presently, Proton rockets are built at the Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center in Moscow, then they're transported to a launch site in Baikonur in Kazakhstan. The Angara rocket, which has made just two test flights back in 2014, will be produced in a new factory in Omsk, a city in Siberia.
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[Beittil]

For me it will always be among my personal favorites of rockets to look at. OMG that thing is pure beauty  The clunky look here and there, the business end with with engines spewing out the juice... Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr