In the News

Propulsion Technologies

 
Propulsion Engine being Tested

Northrop Grumman has been advancing propulsion technology since 1958. Our earliest work involved cold gas, heated gas, and liquid bipropellant and monopropellant rockets and boosters; we continue to further these technologies today. For example, Northrop Grumman was selected in May 2001 by NASA to be one of the developers of new propulsion technology for potential use on next-generation launch and space transportation vehicles.

We have been developing electric propulsion since the 1970s and have made recent world-class advances in gel propellant propulsion, and micropropulsion ('rockets on a chip').

Our fundamental research and development has been applied to a range of flight hardware for a wide range of space missions. Northrop Grumman is distinguished in the propulsion community for our unique coaxial pintle injector technology, the basis for many of our bipropellant engine designs, including the deep-throttling, man-rated Apollo Lunar Module Descent Engine (LMDE) that landed 12 astronauts on the moon. Recent flight successes of propulsion systems have included NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, the Army's gel-powered FMTI missile, and a SCAT-powered spacecraft.

Bipropellant

Bipropellant We are the only rocket manufacturer that uses pintle injector technology in liquid and gel bipropellant rocket engines.

Booster Vehicle Engines

Booster Vehicle Thumbnail Northrop Grumman is developing booster vehicle engines that will provide low-cost access to space.

Electric Propulsion

Electric Propulsion Northrop Grumman has been developing selected electric propulsion technologies and systems since the 1970s.

Gel and Tactical Propulsion

Gel and Tactical Propulsion Combining the best features of solid- and liquid-fueled rocket engines, Northrop Grumman's versatile gel propellant system provides the on-demand thrust needed for smart flight.

MEMS/Micropropulsion

MEMS/Micropropulsion The Northrop Grumman-led Digital Micro-Propulsion Program is producing and demonstrating tiny thrusters to perform orbital insertion, station keeping and attitude control functions on micro-, nano- and pico-satellites.

Monopropellant

Monopropellant Northrop Grumman has developed, qualified and flown spacecraft monopropellant thrusters for on-orbit delta velocity and attitude control for a variety of spacecraft for more than 25 years.