Liquid propulsion is a technology used in space engines that employs a fuel and an oxidizer in liquid form to generate thrust. Although it is more complex than other systems, it offers advantages such as high efficiency and the ability to control ignition and thrust. These characteristics make it ideal for space applications where precision and reliability are essential.

To realize the MR10 engine, a European industrial team has been created with Italy (and AVIO) to lead an organization that involves companies from Belgium, Czech Republic, Switzerland, France, Austria and Romania.

The MR10 engine, first European Methane engine and stage, shall open the way to a new generation of launchers, Vega E, that have the objective to increase competitiveness of European small launchers family profiting as much as possible of technologies and infrastructures developed for Vega and Vega C launchers.

MR10 is a cryogenic LOX/LCH4 10-tons class liquid rocket engine and it will be the upper stage of the Vega E launcher. At the nominal point and steady-state MR10 engine has to provide 98 kN thrust, with propellants mixture ratio 3.4. The minimum specific impulse required is 362 seconds.