# Proton 4
**Wikidata**: [Q16334355](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q16334355)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proton_4)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/proton-4

## Summary
Proton 4 is a Soviet scientific satellite that was launched on 16 November 1968 from Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 81/24 aboard a Proton-K rocket. It belongs to the Proton series of heavy scientific spacecraft and is catalogued internationally as COSPAR ID 1968-103A.

## Key Facts
- Launch date: 16 November 1968
- Launch site: Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 81/24
- Launch vehicle: Proton-K
- COSPAR ID: 1968-103A
- Satellite catalogue number (SCN): 03544
- Instance of: Proton satellite class
- Significant event: rocket launch at Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 81/24 on 1968-11-16
- Wikipedia sitelink count: 4
- Wikipedia languages: de, en, pt, ru

## FAQs
### Q: When was Proton 4 launched?
A: Proton 4 was launched on 16 November 1968.

### Q: Which rocket carried Proton 4 into space?
A: A Proton-K carrier rocket carried Proton 4.

### Q: Where did Proton 4 launch from?
A: It launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 81/24 in present-day Kazakhstan.

### Q: What series does Proton 4 belong to?
A: It is part of the Soviet Proton series of scientific satellites.

## Why It Matters
Proton 4 represents a key data point in the history of Soviet heavy-lift satellite deployments, illustrating the operational cadence of the Proton-K launch vehicle during the late 1960s. By tracking its launch metadata—date, site, vehicle, and international identifiers—historians and engineers can reconstruct the Soviet Union’s early space infrastructure and compare it with contemporary Western programs. The satellite’s catalogue number (03544) and COSPAR ID (1968-103A) also serve as canonical references for orbital-mechanics databases, ensuring that trajectory reconstructions and debris-tracking models remain internally consistent. In short, Proton 4 is a reference object that anchors broader narratives about Cold-War space activity, heavy-lift reliability, and international satellite cataloguing standards.

## Notable For
- One of the documented Proton-series satellites launched by a Proton-K vehicle
- Launch occurred at the historic Baikonur Site 81/24, a pad still active decades later
- Carries the sequential COSPAR ID suffix “103A” for 1968 launches, aiding chronological sorting
- Referenced across four Wikipedia language editions, indicating sustained multilingual interest

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report