Product category:
Batteries and Chargers
News Release from: Saft Lithium Battery Division
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 14 June 2005
Batteries fit Europe's most complex
spacecraft
Saft has signed a contract to develop and manufacture batteries to power the ATV, an EADS Space Transportation designed spacecraft, up to 2011.
Saft has signed a contract to develop and manufacture batteries to power the ATV, an EADS Space Transportation designed spacecraft, up to 2011 The ATV is the most complex and innovative spacecraft ever engineered and produced in Europe
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 3 Feb 2000 at 8.00am (UK)
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Launched by an Ariane 5, it will be the first European spacecraft to carry out docking manoeuvres with the International Space Station (ISS).
It will ferry propellants, food, water for the astronauts and scientific equipment to the ISS.
Once docked with the ISS, the ATV will correct the station's orbit by reboosting the station.
At the end of its mission, the ATV, weighing about 20t and measuring 4.5m in diameter and 10m in length, will be filled with waste, and burn up in a controlled mode as it re-enters the atmosphere.
Saft will provide all of the eight batteries required by ATV's mission.
These play an essential role: four Ni-Cd batteries (2x18 VOS40 cells) power the spacecraft payload during orbital transfer operations and once docked with the ISS, for a 6 month period of time.
Two Li-MnO2 batteries (3x11 M62 cells) trigger the undocking while two other identical batteries power the de-orbiting emergency procedures.
As part of a previous development contract, Saft has already designed and supplied batteries for the first ATV flight model, called Jules Verne, that will be launched by an Ariane-5 in early 2006.
As part of the Saft Group, the plant in Poitiers will design and manufacture these batteries.
It will be aided by the expertise of two other plants: Bordeaux for nickel-cadmium electrodes and Budingen (Germany) for primary elements.
This long-term contract illustrates Saft's ability to meet demanding spacecraft battery requirements, thanks to its large portfolio of specialised technologies.
It also demonstrates Saft's capacity to ensure a continuous production of batteries built to manned flight specifications.
This confirms Saft's ability to respond to the development challenges to provide energy for manned or unmanned spacecraft. Request free introductory details about products from Saft Lithium Battery Division ...
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