Applications: Other

Space Missions Missions completed in 2024 required batteries to operate in a variety of different space conditions. Planned space missions for the future are expected to increase demand for space battery development and application-specific testing for the challenging environments. COMMUNICATION SATELLITE

MOON MISSION

SCIENTIFIC CAPSULES

LEO HUMAN HABITATS

HOBBYISTS

MARS MISSION

COMPANY

SpaceX

NASA

Vast

Varda

Crunchlabs

JAXA

MISSIONS

As of January 2025, there are 6,912 Starlink satellites in orbit, of which 6,874 are working. Larger V2 satellite is expected to launch in 2025.

Artemis

Haven-1

Pharmaceutical trial in 2024

Selfie camera in space; launched January 2025

MMX mission to Mars moon Phobos to collect and return sample

LIFE EXPECTANCY

5 years

30 days

3 year orbital with 40 days crewed

8 months 0.1 to 1 year (previous W1 test mission)

5 year return mission

IMPLICATIONS FOR BATTERY DESIGN

Station containing fuel is the system life-limiting factor. Critical to prevent thermal runaway in constellation orbit to avoid Kessler syndrome.

130°C surface temperatures over 14 day lunar night and 120°C lunar day requires specialized thermal design.

90-minute temperature swings. Batteryʼs ability to vent toxic gases from micro-meteor impacts must be isolated from crew.

90-minute temperature swings on the surface. Continuous Power consumption to maintain process temperatures for scientific capsules.

120Wh cubesat battery. Cell phone batteries must survive LEO operating conditions.

Long duration mission with QSO orbit. Cell longevity over wide temperature change.

BATTERY CHALLENGES

Cell longevity, temperature cycling

Large long-duration temperature variance, radiation

Human life safety, micrometeors

Thermal management in LEO and re-entry capsule

Mass-sensitive design that requires basic operational thermal stability

Surface temperatures range from 4°C to 112° C, reduced solar radiance

Source: Starlink, JAXA 1, CrunchLabs 1, CrunchLabs 2, Jaxa 2, Artemis

Extracted from the PDF; charts and images may read imperfectly.