Cassini Saturn Orbiter propulsion subsystem
NASA documents Cassini's integrated spacecraft propulsion as two isolated chemical systems: a nitrogen-tetroxide/monomethylhydrazine bipropellant system with two identical 445 N main engines, one prime and one backup, plus a hydrazine monopropellant system with sixteen redundant approximately 1 N thrusters, eight prime and eight backup. The main engines performed propulsive maneuvers; the hydrazine thrusters provided attitude control and small velocity-change maneuvers. Exact component product models beyond the NASA-described R4D prime-engine reference are not asserted; this record represents the complete installed orbiter propulsion subsystem.
Identity
- Aliases
- Cassini propulsion subsystemCassini propulsion moduleCassini orbiter propulsion
- Domains
- spaceflight
- Identity Level
- integrated-system
- Kind
- integrated-propulsion-system
- Name
- Cassini Saturn Orbiter propulsion subsystem
- Status
- retired
Details
- Description
- NASA documents Cassini's integrated spacecraft propulsion as two isolated chemical systems: a nitrogen-tetroxide/monomethylhydrazine bipropellant system with two identical 445 N main engines, one prime and one backup, plus a hydrazine monopropellant system with sixteen redundant approximately 1 N thrusters, eight prime and eight backup. The main engines performed propulsive maneuvers; the hydrazine thrusters provided attitude control and small velocity-change maneuvers. Exact component product models beyond the NASA-described R4D prime-engine reference are not asserted; this record represents the complete installed orbiter propulsion subsystem.
- Propellants
- nitrogen tetroxidemonomethylhydrazinehydrazine
Links
- Official Url
- https://science.nasa.gov/mission/cassini/engine/
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- September 7, 2026 at 21:57:53 UTC
- Updated Time
- September 7, 2026 at 21:57:53 UTC
Other
- Search Name
- Cassini Saturn Orbiter propulsion subsystem Cassini propulsion subsystem Cassini propulsion module Cassini orbiter propulsion
- Sources
- Accessed Date
- 2026-09-07
- Note
- NASA documents two isolated propulsion systems: a nitrogen-tetroxide/monomethylhydrazine bipropellant system with a 445 N main engine and redundant backup, and sixteen redundant approximately 1 N hydrazine thrusters for attitude control and small trajectory changes.
- Publisher
- NASA Science
- Title
- Engine
- Accessed Date
- 2026-09-07
- Note
- NASA identifies the Cassini main-propulsion MMH/NTO pair and the prime R4D rocket engine in the mission engineering account.
- Publisher
- NASA Science
- Title
- Engineering Takes Center Stage
- Accessed Date
- 2026-09-07
- Note
- NASA confirms that Cassini used either its main engine or attitude-control thrusters for orbit-trim maneuvers and documents late-mission thruster use.
- Publisher
- NASA Science
- Title
- One Final Burn