Elektro-L is a new generation of Russian weather satellites built by NPO Lavochkin for the Russian Federal Space Agency, Roscosmos.

The satellites are designed to provide a substantial upgrade to Russia's domestic and global weather forecasting and monitoring capabilities while also providing data on climate change and Earth's oceans.

Each Elektro-L also carries a COSPAS-SARSAT system to aide in international search and rescue operations.

They are the first series of Russian weather satellites to operate from Geostationary Orbit - meaning they maintain the same position over Earth's surface at all times.

The first Elektro-L was launched on January 20th, 2011, and the second on December 11th, 2015. Both are currently operational.

Each Elektro-L has a launch mass of 1,620 kg - 1,185 kg being fuel - and carry a planned operational life of at least 10 years.

The Proton-M/DM-03 rocket, manufactured by Khrunichev (Proton) and JSC Krasnoyarsk Machine-Building Plant (DM-03 upper stage), is a Russian heavy-lift rocket with a price tag of approximately $65 million (USD) per launch.

Russian government launches are managed by Roscosmos. Non-Russian government launches are managed and contracted through ILS (International Launch Services).

It has two active launch sites, both at the Baikonur Cosmodrome: Sites 81/24 and 200/39.

Proton has launched over 100 times, flying for the first time on 7 April 2001.

Notable payloads include GLONASS navigation satellites and the ExoMars mission.

Stats
Height: 58.2 m / 191 ft
Diameter: 7.4 m / 24 ft
Mass: 705,000 kg / 1,554,000 lb
Stages: 4

First Stage
Engine: 6 x RD-275M
Length: 21.18 m / 69.5 ft
Diameter: 7.4 m / 24 ft
Thrust: 2,368,000 lbf / 10,532 kN
Fuel: Nitrogen Tetroxide / Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine

Second Stage - 8S811K
Engine: 3 x RD-0210 / 1 RD-0211
Length: 17.05 m / 55.9 ft
Diameter: 4.1 m / 13 ft
Thrust: 539,000 lbf / 2,399 kN
Fuel: Nitrogen Tetroxide / Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine

Third Stage
Engine: 1 x RD-0212
Length: 4.11 m / 13.5 ft
Diameter: 4.1 m / 13 ft
Thrust: 138,000 lbf / 613.8 kN
Fuel: Nitrogen Tetroxide / Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine

Fourth Stage - DM-03
Engine: 1 x RD-58M
Length: 5.6 m / 18.3 ft
Diameter: 3.72 m / 12.2 ft
Thrust: 17,860 lbf
Fuel: Liquid Oxygen / RP-1 kerosene

Payload launch capability
Low Earth Orbit: 23,000 kg / 51,000 lb
Geostationary Transfer Orbit: 6,920 kg / 15,260 lb
Direct Geostationary Orbit: 3,250 kg / 7,170 lb

Image: Khrunichev

Site 81/24 at Baikonur is used exclusively to launch the Proton rockets.

It has hosted 84 launches to date and was first used on 22 November 1967.

Notable launches include Salyut 1 - humanity's first-ever space station.