Proton-K (UR-500K, 8K82K) + LK-1

Historical information

The Proton-K, also designated Proton 8K82K after its GRAU index, 8K82K, was a russian, previously soviet, carrier rocket derived from the earlier Proton.

The maiden flight on 10 March 1967 carried a Soyuz 7K-L1 as part of the Zond program. During the so-called "Moon Race" these Proton/Soyuz/Zond flights consisted of several uncrewed test flights of Soyuz spacecraft to highly elliptical or circumlunar orbits with the unrealized aim of landing soviet cosmonauts on the Moon.

It was retired from service in favour of the modernised Proton-M, making its 311th and final launch on 30 March 2012.

The LK ("Lunniy Korabl", "lunar ship") was a piloted lunar lander developed in the 1960s as a part of the soviet attempts at human exploration of the Moon. Its role was analogous to the American Apollo Lunar Module (LM). Several LK articles have been flown without crew in Earth orbit, but no LK ever reached the Moon.