R-40B
The Aerojet R-40B is a 4,000 N (900 lbf), 293 s hypergolic bipropellant orbital-adjust/perigee engine used by the Space Shuttle orbiter. It is a materially distinct large engine from the Shuttle's smaller reaction-control thrusters and is documented as a qualified historical model for orbit adjustment and perigee operations.
Identity
- Domains
- spaceflight
- Identity Level
- model
- Kind
- liquid-rocket-engine
- Name
- R-40B
- Status
- retired
Details
- Description
- The Aerojet R-40B is a 4,000 N (900 lbf), 293 s hypergolic bipropellant orbital-adjust/perigee engine used by the Space Shuttle orbiter. It is a materially distinct large engine from the Shuttle's smaller reaction-control thrusters and is documented as a qualified historical model for orbit adjustment and perigee operations.
- Manufacturers
- Propellants
- monomethylhydrazine (MMH)nitrogen tetroxide (NTO)
- Rocket Specs
- Vacuum Specific Impulse S
- 293
- Vacuum Thrust Kn
- 4
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- August 15, 2026 at 05:12:09 UTC
- Updated Time
- August 15, 2026 at 05:12:09 UTC
Other
- Sources
- Accessed Date
- 2026-08-14
- Note
- Manufacturer-era product sheet lists the R-40B as a 4,000 N engine with 293 s specific impulse, 50,000 pulses and 10.5 kg mass.
- Published Date
- 2023-06-14
- Publisher
- L3Harris Technologies
- Title
- Bipropellant Rocket Engines
- Accessed Date
- 2026-08-14
- Note
- NASA paper identifies the R-40B as a 4,000 N/293 s hypergolic engine and notes its Shuttle-orbiter heritage.
- Published Date
- 2020-07-01
- Publisher
- NASA
- Title
- Development of Concept Illustration Variants of the JUMP Lander
- Accessed Date
- 2026-08-14
- Note
- NASA technical report documents the R-40B orbit-adjust/perigee version, MMH/NTO propellants, qualified status, and Shuttle-orbiter use.
- Published Date
- 2000-08-01
- Publisher
- NASA
- Title
- A Study of a Lifting Body as a Space Transportation System