Monopropellant Rocket Engines
Enabling exploration to every planet in the solar system
Aerojet Rocketdyne has delivered more than 17,000 hydrazine-fueled monopropellant rocket engines over the past 50 years, providing critical in-space and launch vehicle propulsion for commercial and government missions. These thrusters provide thrust levels ranging from 0.09N (0.02 lbf) to 3,100N (700 lbf).
Monopropellant engines generate thrust by liquid hydrazine flowing through an open propellant valve into a catalytic decomposition chamber where the propellant goes through a highly energetic decomposition process and the hot decomposition gases are then accelerated through a converging-diverging nozzle. Data sheets are provided in the resources section below for all our monopropellant thruster products.
KEY FEATURES
On satellites, monopropellant engines are used for various applications including orbital insertion, orbit raising, station keeping, spin control, attitude control and satellite decommissioning. On launch vehicles, they are used for upper stage roll, pitch and yaw control, as well as settling burns.
Resources
- In-Space Propulsion Data Sheets
- Satellite Propulsion Overview
- Modular Propulsion Systems Overview
- CubeSat MPS-121 Modular Propulsion Systems
Press Releases
- Aug. 22, 2019 - Aerojet Rocketdyne Helping to Propel Modernization of GPS Satellite Constellation
- Aug. 08, 2019 - U.S. Air Force Communications Satellite Relies on Aerojet Rocketdyne Propulsion Throughout Its Service Life
- March 15, 2019 - Aerojet Rocketdyne Powers WGS-10 Military Communications Satellite from Launch Pad to Orbit
- Feb. 5, 2019 - Aerojet Rocketdyne Hails Successful Completion of Iridium® NEXT Deployment
- Dec. 6, 2018 - Aerojet Rocketdyne Gears Up for Next ULA Delta IV Heavy Mission
- Nov. 26, 2018 - Aerojet Rocketdyne Propulsion Delivers Mars InSight to Planet’s Surface
- Oct. 29, 2018 - Thrusters with Additively Manufactured Components Qualified to Fly Humans on NASA’s Orion Spacecraft
- Aug. 24, 2018 - Aerojet Rocketdyne Propulsion Powers OSIRIS-REx’s Approach of Asteroid Bennu
- Aug. 12, 2018 - On Parker Solar Probe, NASA Leaves the Driving to Aerojet Rocketdyne
- May 24, 2018 - Aerojet Rocketdyne Thrusters Help Deliver Cygnus to International Space Station
- May 03, 2018 - Aerojet Rocketdyne Has InSight Every Step of the Way
- April 13, 2018 - ULA Atlas V Launch to Feature Full Complement of Aerojet Rocketdyne Solid Rocket Boosters
- March 15, 2018 - Aerojet Rocketdyne Ships Starliner Re-entry Thrusters
- March 01, 2018 - GOES-S Launch Marks Flight of 100th Aerojet Rocketdyne AJ-60A Solid Rocket Booster
- Jan. 19, 2018 - Aerojet Rocketdyne Role in ULA Launch of SBIRS Satellite Includes Debris Minimization
- Jan. 12, 2018 - Aerojet Rocketdyne Supports ULA Launch in Support of National Security
- Aug. 13, 2014 - Aerojet Rocketdyne Supports Fifth Successful Launch in Six Weeks
- Aug. 2, 2014 - Aerojet Rocketdyne Supports Fourth Successful Launch Into Orbit in 30 Days
- July 29, 2014 - Aerojet Rocketdyne Supports Launch of AFSPC-4 Mission
- July 17, 2014 - Aerojet Rocketdyne Successfully Tests 1 Newton Thruster for Green Propellant Infusion Mission
- July 13, 2014 - Aerojet Rocketdyne Propulsion Critical to Successful Antares Launch and Spacecraft Maneuvering
