Mars Express bipropellant propulsion subsystem
Mars Express's integrated bipropellant spacecraft propulsion subsystem comprises one 400 N main engine and eight 10 N thrusters. The main engine performed Mars orbit insertion and was then deactivated; the eight small thrusters support later orbit changes, reaction-wheel momentum dumping, and emergency attitude control. No individual product model is asserted.
Identity
- Aliases
- Mars Express propulsion subsystemMars Express bipropellant systemMars Express 400 N engine and 10 N thrusters
- Domains
- spaceflight
- Identity Level
- integrated-system
- Kind
- integrated-propulsion-system
- Name
- Mars Express bipropellant propulsion subsystem
- Status
- active
Details
- Description
- Mars Express's integrated bipropellant spacecraft propulsion subsystem comprises one 400 N main engine and eight 10 N thrusters. The main engine performed Mars orbit insertion and was then deactivated; the eight small thrusters support later orbit changes, reaction-wheel momentum dumping, and emergency attitude control. No individual product model is asserted.
Links
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- September 8, 2026 at 00:12:03 UTC
- Updated Time
- September 8, 2026 at 00:12:03 UTC
Other
- Search Name
- Mars Express bipropellant propulsion subsystem Mars Express propulsion subsystem Mars Express bipropellant system Mars Express 400 N engine and 10 N thrusters
- Sources
- Accessed Date
- 2026-09-08
- Note
- ESA lists Mars Express's 400 N main spacecraft engine, eight 10 N attitude thrusters, and their orbit-insertion, orbit-correction, and attitude-control roles.
- Publisher
- European Space Agency
- Title
- The spacecraft
- Accessed Date
- 2026-09-08
- Note
- ESA confirms one main rocket engine and eight small control thrusters and describes the spacecraft's two-liquid chemical propulsion system.
- Publisher
- European Space Agency
- Title
- Filling up for the long journey
- Accessed Date
- 2026-09-08
- Note
- ESA Bulletin independently records the bi-propellant system, one 400 N main engine, eight 10 N thrusters, and propulsion capacity.
- Publisher
- European Space Agency
- Title
- ESA's Mars Express mission