NASA Goes International for Space Shuttle Batteries
A U.S. battery manufacturer and developer of large-format lithium-ion rechargeable cells and batteries, International Battery, announced today that it has been awarded a contract by NASA to build a battery prototype that will provide backup power in support of the space shuttle program.
NASA’s interest in International Battery is targeted at it’s large-format, high energy density, prismatic cells that provide advanced energy storage along with the company’s comprehensive Battery Management System (BMS). The BMS is specifically designed for large format cells and provides increased safety and performance through individual cell monitoring and continuous cell balancing. The entire system is being deployed as an uninterruptible power supply to maintain backup power for critical ground operations.
“This opportunity to partner with NASA further validates International Battery’s truly large format technology,” said International Battery’s CEO, Ake Almgren. “Our individual cells are ten to fifty times larger than those commonly labeled ‘large format’ today. Employing fewer cells to store the same quantity of energy lowers the cost of integrated battery systems and improves reliability and performance.”
The battery prototype will be tested at Kennedy Space Center by the end of 2009 and targeted for implementation at other space centers after successful integration and testing efforts have been achieved.
Category: Battery News
[...] wasn’t all that long ago that International Battery was proudly announcing a deal with NASA that included providing a battery prototype that will serve as backup power in support of the space [...]