Product category:
Batteries and Chargers
News Release from: ABSL Power Solutions | Subject: Lithium-ion batteries
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 28 March 2006
Lithium-ion batteries save weight on
space mission
NASA's Space Technology 5 project is using ABSL's low weight lithium-ion batteries in preference to current NiCd and NiH2 aerospace batteries.
ABSL Space Products (formerly AEA Technology Space) notched up another first in space science and technology last week when NASA Goddard Space Flight Centre's (GSFC) Pegasus XL rocket lifted off successfully on the maiden voyage of its Space Technology 5 (ST5) project, which will employ ABSL's low weight lithium-ion batteries in preference to current NiCd and NiH2 aerospace batteries 19 spacecraft have now been successfully powered by ABSL lithium-ion batteries
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 20 Feb 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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The ST5 project forms a key part of NASA's New Millennium Programme (NMP) which was created to identify, develop, build, and test innovative technologies and concepts for infusion into future missions.
The ST5 project is pushing "miniaturisation" even further by building and testing three small satellites to test and validate new technologies for future science missions and aid scientists in understanding the harsh environment of the Earth's magnetosphere.
ABSL was selected for the programme due to its ability to provide lithium-ion technology in a small lightweight battery module within an extremely demanding schedule.
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The ST5 battery module will interface directly with the ST5 micro-satellite's electrical power and distribution subsystem, and will provide sufficient telemetry to assess the health and safety of the battery during ground testing and on-orbit operations.
Rob Spurrett, Director of ABSL Space Products commented: "The launch success of ST5 demonstrates ABSL's responsiveness to customer needs and its ability to deliver novel and flexible designs to meet the demanding schedule of this particular project".
"This and other recent successes underline ABSL's key role in the space industry for space power and other equipment, where reliability, safety and life are of paramount importance".
Gopal Rao at NASA GSFC said: "ABSL's ability to provide a Lithium-ion solution for the ST5 project proves the technology, and paves the way for lithium-ion to be considered as a viable alternative technology for future NASA missions".
"In fact, following on from ST5, ABSL has already delivered lithium-ion batteries for Themis, and is building 120h hardware for SDO".
"Both of these programmes are NASA GSFC missions".
This concludes ABSL's first aerospace contract with NASA GSFC and represents the first ABSL lithium-ion battery, using the small cell concept, to be flown on a NASA orbiting satellite.
It closely follows the successful launches of ABSL's products on the Giove-A Galileo demonstrator satellite and Eumetsat's MSG-2 new generation of weather satellites in December 2005.
These launches marked a milestone for ABSL as the key power provider in the future of European Satellite Navigation.
Giove-A has just entered the first eclipse season and the 31V nominal 60h lithium-ion battery is performing well.
ABSL is recognised as the world leader in the supply of lithium-ion batteries for space applications with over 45 space battery contracts.
ABSL supplied the first rechargeable lithium-ion battery flown in space and a total of 19 spacecraft are now using its lithium-ion technology.
More than 2100 cell-years of space operation have been built up without a single failure.
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