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ABSL Space Products Eyes the Sun
23rd February 2010
ABSL Space Products, a manufacturer of Lithium-ion rechargeable space batteries, celebrates the successful launch of the NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) spacecraft on an Atlas V 401 rocket.
LONGMONT, Colorado (Date 11 February 2010) – ABSL Space Products, a manufacturer of Lithium-ion rechargeable space batteries, celebrates the successful launch of the NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) spacecraft on an Atlas V 401 rocket. The spacecraft will be positioned in a Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO), and is powered by ABSL Lithium-ion batteries. SDO will study the sun to help scientists understand the sun’s energy production mechanisms, the interior workings of the sun, and the ways in which energy is stored and released in the sun’s atmosphere.
ABSL’s Lithium-ion battery provides power for the satellite’s flight and scientific instrumentation as the spacecraft travels though the bi-yearly eclipse phases of its geosynchronous orbit over SDO’s 12 year mission goal. SDO will carry ABSL’s largest single module battery flown to date and utilizes ABSL’s heritage architecture to deliver a three deck unit providing 4.5kWh of energy through a 28 volt system.
ABSL’s Lithium-ion space flight experience surpasses every other battery vendor, and the SDO mission is a major flight heritage milestone. The SDO battery is a crucial step for future ABSL business as ABSL continues to expand its Lithium-ion batteries into the commercial and government GEO spacecraft market. ABSL recently delivered Lithium-ion hardware for a United States Government GEO mission and is currently working on a second battery for the same customer. ABSL has already delivered batteries that will fly on Indian GEO spacecraft this year, and also recently received a contract to power a commercial communications GEO satellite.
David Curzon, Project Manager for the SDO Battery, stated “ABSL is very proud to have once again worked closely with NASA and supplied essential hardware in support of this key GEO mission. It is an honor and a privilege to have collaborated with GSFC in contributing to the success of this project.”
In addition to the SDO battery contract, ABSL has delivered four other Lithium-ion battery contracts for NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) missions: Lunar Reconnaissance Obiter (LRO) launched together in 2009 with Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) also powered by ABSL Lithium-ion batteries; Space Technology 5 spacecraft that was launched by NASA in 2006 and now is successfully completed; and Time History of Events Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) launched in 2007. ABSL recently kicked off the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) contract for GSFC which is one of ABSL largest capacity battery systems at over 350Ah.
Kevin Schrantz, ABSL Sales Manager said, “SDO marks ABSL’s longest GEO mission. SDO is rewarding from a technology standpoint as SDO is our largest capacity single module battery to date, but more importantly the SDO battery has paved the way for current and future ABSL GEO programs”.
ABSL Selected to Supply Infrared Calibration System for SLSTR
30th July 2008
ABSL Space Products is proud to announce the award of a contract for the design, development, and manufacture of the infrared calibration system and high-precision temperature acquisition electronics for the Sea and Land Surface Temperature Radiometer (SLSTR). This instrument will be launched in 2012 on the Sentinel-3 spacecraft as part of the joint ESA and EC GMES programme. The contract was awarded to ABSL Space Products by Jena-Optronik GmbH following a competitive tender process.
ABSL Power Solutions wins best technology award at Soldier Technology 2008
26th June 2008
ABSL Power Solutions Ltd (ABSL), a leading UK portable power developer and manufacturer, today announced that it has won an industry award for technology specifically designed and developed to support the fighting soldier serving on Operations. The Soldier Portable Charger (SPC) is a major step forward in reducing the burden of power on the User at a time when Operations are demanding a greater reliance on battery power.
ABSL Selected to Supply Lithium-ion Battery for GMES Sentinel 1
18th June 2008
ABSL Space Products has been selected by Thales Alenia Space Italy to provide the Lithium-ion battery for the Sentinel-1 spacecraft, scheduled for launch in 2010. This is the first of five planned Sentinel missions that form part of the GMES program - Global Monitoring for Environment and Security - a set of Earth observation missions co-funded by ESA and the European Commission. GMES represents the European answer to the ever-increasing requirements of environmental control, and thus provides an important contribution to environmental policies at a global level.
Older news articles
- ABSL To Conduct Astronaut Spacesuit Battery Program in Colorado - 20th May 2008
- ABSL Lithium-ion Batteries Enable European GPS Satellite Mission To Be Extended - 15th April 2008
- ABSL Powers 4th SAR-LUPE Satellite in Orbit - 02nd April 2008
- ABSL Space Products completes ALFA-F Project - 25th January 2008
- ABSL selected for WATCHKEEPER UAV emergency battery pack - 05th December 2007
