A Proton M/Briz-M debuted successfully launching an Ekran M-18 from Launch Complex 81, pad 24, at Baikonur Cosmodrome at 0347 UTC on April 7.

The launch vehicle was built by GKNPT Khrunichev. The modernized rocket features improved stages with lighter structural mass and a new propellant management system which reduces residual propellant at shutdown and toxic fuel at stage impact points. The thrust of the six RD-253 engines powering the first stage has been increased by 7%. Energomash increased the trust of the engine from 151 to 160 tons. International Launch Services (ILS), a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Khrunichev, will market commercial launches of the Proton M.

The Proton M flight version arrived at Baikonur in July 2000 with its first test launch planned for as early as August 2000. However, financial and technical problems delayed the mission to October, then November 2000 and finally to March/April 2001. The Proton M launch became a priority when the Ekran M-15 satellite developed problems threatening to disrupt the transmission of television broadcasts to Siberia and the Russian Far East. Depending on the results of the first test launches, two or three test flights are planned before the vehicle will be certified for routine missions. Rosaviacosmos plans for all the test launches to fly with actual satellites. The first commercial flight of the Proton M is expected in late 2001 to launch the Intelsat 903 telecommunication satellite.