On October 14, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced that thermal vacuum testing of solid-state battery prototypes intended for future lunar exploration missions had been completed at the Langley Research Center.
Test results showed that the battery can still operate in a -80°C environment and sustained no damage after exposure to extreme temperatures ranging from -170°C to 100°C.
This project, named SPEARS (Solid Power for Extreme Environment Adaptability and Resilience in Space), is led by NASA's Glenn Research Center, with the Langley Research Center responsible for the relevant testing. The batteries developed by the project utilize ceramic or polymer-based solid-state electrolytes, aiming to cope with the extreme temperature variations and vacuum environment on the lunar surface. In the future, they are expected to power lunar rovers, astronaut emergency power supplies, and scientific exploration equipment.
Traditional lithium-ion batteries use liquid electrolytes, which can freeze in extremely low-temperature environments, affecting battery performance, and they also face usage limitations in high-temperature and vacuum environments. SPEARS utilizes a solid-state electrolyte, which can avoid some of the problems caused by the freezing or volatilization of liquid electrolytes.
However, solid-state batteries still cannot operate directly at extreme low temperatures and need to be restored to a suitable operating temperature via small heating devices.
During this thermal vacuum test, the battery prototype performed well operating in the range of 80°C to -60°C, and could still work at -80°C, although with reduced performance. Furthermore, the battery exhibited no damage after enduring temperature exposure from 100°C to -170°C. NASA stated that this is the first time the project has verified that the battery prototype is capable of operating at -80°C.
Nighttime temperatures at the lunar South Pole can drop to around -200°C, and the batteries need to adapt to severe diurnal temperature differences. NASA hopes to reduce the thermal management systems required for continuous insulation through this kind of technology, thereby lowering the weight and cost of spacecraft and lunar surface facilities, and extending mission operation times.
Currently, SPEARS is still in the technological research and development stage. NASA plans to continue advancing the development of battery technology, and the Ames Research Center will carry out the research and development of related test circuit boards and electronic equipment to prepare for subsequent space environment testing. Besides lunar exploration, this technology is also expected to be expanded to application scenarios such as automobiles, communication equipment, and drones in the future.
Source：EnergyTrend