MESSENGER dual-mode propulsion subsystem
NASA documents MESSENGER's integrated dual-mode propulsion subsystem as a 660 N bipropellant Large Velocity Adjust thruster using hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide plus sixteen hydrazine thrusters for smaller trajectory adjustments and attitude control. Four 22 N thrusters supported course corrections and spacecraft stabilization during large-engine burns; twelve 4.4 N thrusters supported smaller corrections and could back up the reaction wheels.
Identity
- Aliases
- MESSENGER propulsion subsystemMESSENGER dual-mode systemMESSENGER large velocity adjust propulsion
- Domains
- spaceflight
- Identity Level
- integrated-system
- Kind
- integrated-propulsion-system
- Name
- MESSENGER dual-mode propulsion subsystem
- Status
- retired
Details
- Description
- NASA documents MESSENGER's integrated dual-mode propulsion subsystem as a 660 N bipropellant Large Velocity Adjust thruster using hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide plus sixteen hydrazine thrusters for smaller trajectory adjustments and attitude control. Four 22 N thrusters supported course corrections and spacecraft stabilization during large-engine burns; twelve 4.4 N thrusters supported smaller corrections and could back up the reaction wheels.
- Propellants
- hydrazinenitrogen tetroxide
Links
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- September 8, 2026 at 00:25:10 UTC
- Updated Time
- September 8, 2026 at 00:25:10 UTC
Other
- Search Name
- MESSENGER dual-mode propulsion subsystem MESSENGER propulsion subsystem MESSENGER dual-mode system MESSENGER large velocity adjust propulsion
- Sources
- Accessed Date
- 2026-09-08
- Note
- NASA documents MESSENGER's dual-mode propulsion system, 660 N bipropellant Large Velocity Adjust thruster, sixteen hydrazine thrusters, hydrazine/nitrogen tetroxide propellants, and the 22 N and 4.4 N thruster roles.
- Publisher
- NASA
- Title
- MESSENGER Mercury Orbit Insertion Press Kit
- Accessed Date
- 2026-09-08
- Note
- APL describes the MESSENGER propulsion system as a pressurized hydrazine/nitrogen-tetroxide dual-mode system with three main propellant tanks, an auxiliary fuel tank, helium pressurant, sixteen monopropellant thrusters, and a large bipropellant large-velocity-adjust thruster.
- Publisher
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
- Title
- Spacecraft Packaging
- Accessed Date
- 2026-09-08
- Note
- NASA PDS records the MESSENGER propulsion subsystem boundary and hydrazine/nitrogen-tetroxide dual-mode architecture.
- Publisher
- NASA Planetary Data System
- Title
- MESSENGER propulsion subsystem context