NEAR's Propulsion System

Propulsion System

This is the NEAR spacecraft's propulsion system. The fuel needed for the thrusters is stored in here. The 100-lb thruster uses a hydrazine/nitrogen-tetroxide combination for its fuel while the other smaller thrusters use pure hydrazine. The large thruster will only be fired twice throughout the mission: for the deep-space maneuver and for the first part of the rendezvous maneuvers that will slow the craft down relative to Eros' velocity.

This shows the propulsion system inside the spacecraft and the large thruster that is attached to it.

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