Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter monopropellant propulsion subsystem
NASA documents Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's integrated monopropellant hydrazine propulsion subsystem as twenty thrusters: six 170 N thrusters for Mars orbit insertion and early trajectory correction, six 22 N thrusters for cruise corrections and aerobraking-orbit adjustments, and eight 0.9 N thrusters for attitude control, reaction-wheel momentum unloading, spacecraft roll, and trajectory-correction support. Pressurized helium feeds the hydrazine system.
Identity
- Aliases
- MRO propulsion subsystemMars Reconnaissance Orbiter hydrazine propulsionMRO monopropellant propulsion
- Domains
- spaceflight
- Identity Level
- integrated-system
- Kind
- integrated-propulsion-system
- Name
- Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter monopropellant propulsion subsystem
- Status
- active
Details
- Description
- NASA documents Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's integrated monopropellant hydrazine propulsion subsystem as twenty thrusters: six 170 N thrusters for Mars orbit insertion and early trajectory correction, six 22 N thrusters for cruise corrections and aerobraking-orbit adjustments, and eight 0.9 N thrusters for attitude control, reaction-wheel momentum unloading, spacecraft roll, and trajectory-correction support. Pressurized helium feeds the hydrazine system.
- Propellants
- hydrazine
Links
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- September 8, 2026 at 00:29:50 UTC
- Updated Time
- September 8, 2026 at 00:29:50 UTC
Other
- Search Name
- Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter monopropellant propulsion subsystem MRO propulsion subsystem Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter hydrazine propulsion MRO monopropellant propulsion
- Sources
- Accessed Date
- 2026-09-08
- Note
- NASA documents twenty hydrazine thrusters in three sizes—six 170 N, six 22 N, and eight 0.9 N—and their orbit-insertion, trajectory-correction, attitude, roll, and reaction-wheel momentum-management roles.
- Publisher
- NASA
- Title
- Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Arrival Press Kit
- Accessed Date
- 2026-09-08
- Note
- NASA/JPL confirms that the six largest engines performed Mars orbit insertion and that smaller engines provide orbit adjustments.
- Publisher
- NASA/JPL-Caltech
- Title
- Ten Years of Discovery by Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter