• → European Space Agency

    • About Science & Technology

    • For Public

    • For Educators

    • ESA

    • Science & Technology

    • Cassini-Huygens

    • Missions
    • Show All Missions
    • Mission Home
    • Summary
    • Fact Sheet
    • Objectives
    • Mission Team
    • Orbit View
    • Science…

      • Saturn
      • Rings
      • Titan
      • Moons
      • Magnetosphere
    • Huygens Probe
    • Huygens
    • Instruments
    • Engineering
    • Cassini Orbiter
    • 3D Model
    • Instruments
    • Engineering
    • Mission Operations
    • Launch Vehicle
    • Launch Information
    • Approach and Arrival
    • Getting to Saturn
    • Huygens Probe Separation
    • Titan Surface Landing
    • Flybys
    • Science Operations
    • Data Archive
    • Resources
    • News Archive
    • Multimedia Gallery
    • Publication Archive
    • Calendar of Events
    • Services
    • Contact Us
    • Subscribe
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Bookmark and Share

    Engineering

    Propulsion

    The Propulsion Module Subsystem provides thrust for spacecraft trajectory and orbit changes, and for attitude control. The main engine is used for spacecraft velocity and trajectory correction changes. There are two identical main engines, one in use and the other available as a backup. The engines use nitrogen tetroxide and monomethyl-hydrazine as the oxidiser and fuel, respectively. Each engine is capable of producing a thrust of 445 N.

    There are also sixteen 0.5 N thrusters arranged in four groups of four, which are used for attitude control and also for small (< 0.5 m s-1) velocity-change manoeuvres. The thrusters use hydrazine fuel which undergoes catalytic decomposition to generate thrust.

     

    Electric Power
    Attitude Control

    Last Update: 10 Jun 2004

    • Shortcut URL
    • http://sci.esa.int/jump.cfm?oid=35026
    • Related Articles
    • Introduction
    • Mechanical
    • Thermal
    • Electric Power
    • Propulsion
    • Attitude Control
    • Communications
    • Data Handling

    Connect with us

    • RSS
    • Youtube
    • Twitter
    • Flickr
    • Google Buzz
    • Livestream
    • Subscribe
    • App Store
    • ESA Science Twitter

    Follow ESA science

    • Copyright 2000 - 2013 © European Space Agency. All rights reserved.

    • Terms and Conditions