Asset Publisher

Supplies for spacecraft fuelling

Supplies for spacecraft fuelling


Date: 06 January 2016
Satellite: ExoMars 2016
Location: Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Copyright: ESA - B. Bethge

The large, red and yellow labelled drums pictured here contain monomethylhydrazine (MMH), used for fuelling the ExoMars 2016 Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO).

The bipropellant propulsion system for TGO is composed of MMH and an oxidiser (MON: mixed oxides of nitrogen).  About 937 kg of MMH and 1499 kg of MON will be used to fuel TGO.

Also seen here are two long, slim fuel containers (in the metal basket), which contain hydrazine for Schiaparelli, the entry, descent and landing demonstrator module.

The three 17.5 litre tanks on Schiaparelli are filled with 15 kg of hydrazine. This fuels the nine thrusters, clustered in groups of three, which are used to slow down the module as it descends through the Martian atmosphere.

Both MON and MMH were procured via Gerling Holz in Germany. The fuel was brought by ship to St. Petersburg and then by train to the cosmodrome.

Last Update: 1 September 2019
29-Mar-2024 09:00 UT

ShortUrl Portlet

Shortcut URL

https://sci.esa.int/s/w0e7LBW

Also Available As

Related Images

Related Videos

Related Publications

Related Links

See Also

Documentation