ABSL Qualifies a 270V High-Power Lithium-ion Space Battery
01st August 2006
ABSL Space Products (ABSL) has once again proven its status as the leader in the supply of Lithium-ion batteries to the space industry with the successful space qualification of a high-power, 270V voltage battery for launch vehicles.
A qualification battery successfully passed a suite of rigorous tests in June 2006 to prove safety and performance under the conditions that the battery will face during gruelling launch operations.
In the Summer of 2005, ABSL was awarded the contract by the South Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) to build the batteries for the KSLV-1 launch vehicle whose maiden flight is scheduled for October 2007. Under this contract ABSL was to provide four types of batteries, each crucial for successful flight operations. Three of these batteries (Avionics, Pyro, Flight Termination) utilise the ABSL heritage Lithium-ion cell that has recorded over 2,500 cell years of space operation without failure. However, the most challenging battery, for the Thrust Vector Control (TVC) system, required the qualification of a new cell: the ABSL 18650VT as well as an innovative battery packaging design.
The TVC battery will be employed on the upper stage of KSLV-1 to provide the high voltage and high current loads required to power the electromechanical actuators steering the upper stage engine. The TVC is essential to ensure that the correct flight path, and stability during flight, is maintained. The actuators steering the main engine demand high current pulses to exert rapid modifications of the thrust direction at a nominal voltage of 270V.
ABSL built up an expert knowledge base on high voltage space battery applications during the Advanced Hydraulic Power System (AHPS) program. This $50M contract was awarded to ABSL to provide very large Lithium-ion batteries (270V, 140Ah) for a replacement power system on the NASA Space Shuttle. Unfortunately, due to the decision to retire the Shuttle in 2010 to concentrate on exploration outside Low Earth Orbit (LEO), this planned upgrade was terminated after the first design review. However, this review was highly successful and supported many of the design features that ABSL had implemented to ensure the safety of such a high voltage system on a manned vehicle.
ABSL was able to bring much of this knowledge to bear on the KSLV-1 TVC battery program but environmental test was essential to prove the proposed design solution was up to the job. The test perceived as the highest risk was Thermal Vacuum (TV). During launch, as the vehicle ascends, the air pressure drops and at certain air pressures the risk of arcing (or corona discharge) is at its maximum. Battery arcing could induce catastrophic consequences to both the TVC battery and the KSLV-1 Launcher. For this reason during TV testing, the battery was operated at pressures where corona is most likely to occur. The TV test was successful, as were all the other tests, proving the ABSL’s TVC battery design for space. The build of the first batch of flight batteries will commence shortly.
Andrea Bennetti, ABSL Project Manager for the KSLV-1 Battery Program said “I am delighted that the qualification program for the TVC battery went so smoothly – I was not expecting an easy ride. We developed many clever design features on AHPS and it was great to see them proven for KSLV-1. I am looking forward to seeing the battery used, in actual flight, for the first time next year.”
Dr. Keunsu Ma (KSLV-1 Power Lead) of KARI commented “After a competitive selection process, we selected ABSL Space Products as the supplier of Lithium-ion batteries for the KSLV-1 launch vehicle. We are very pleased that our decision has now been vindicated with the successful completion of the TVC battery qualification program. We have also been pleased with their genuine commitment to safety throughout the program giving us great confidence for ground handling.”
--Ends--
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Notes To Editors:
ABSL Space Products (formerly AEA Technology Space)
ABSL Space Products is a trading name of ABSL Power Solutions Limited, which is one of nine companies acquired by Coller Capital from AEA Technology plc in October 2005. This change offers ABSL Space Products a huge opportunity to grow and develop the business to achieve its ambitions.
ABSL Space Products is the world leader in the supply of Lithium-ion batteries for space applications with Lithium-ion battery contracts for over sixty spacecraft and launch vehicles. ABSL supplied the first rechargeable Lithium-ion battery flown in space and a total of nineteen spacecraft in orbit are now using ABSL Lithium-ion battery technology.
ABSL has built up a global customer base, winning major contracts from NASA, ESA, and major prime manufacturers in North America, Europe and the rest of the world.
ABSL has demonstrated in orbit the most reliable Lithium-ion product available for the space market by clocking up over 2500 cell years of space operation without failure.
ABSL has pioneered a battery design concept that is uniquely flexible. As well as being selected for very large space battery applications (such as the 400KWh unit for the NASA Space Shuttle), ABSL’s “small-cell” concept has become the natural choice for many satellite applications.
ABSL has been active in the space industry since the 1960s during the early days of ion-thruster development. During the 1980s, ABSL was the largest non-US subcontractor to the United States Strategic Development Initiative (SDI). More recently, effort has been focused on its power and optical products, such as LIDAR and infrared calibration systems.
ABSL is working on the next generation of Lithium-ion technology to increase battery level energy density to over 150Wh/kg.
KSLV-1
The (South) Korea Space Launch Vehicle-I (KSLV-I) Program is a national undertaking to develop launch capabilities to deliver satellites of a 100 kg-class into a low earth orbit (300x1,500km). The Korean space launch vehicle will be developed, using the past experience of sounding rockets, with the first flight scheduled for October 2007
The vehicle comprises two stages, using liquid fuel kerosene on the first stage. The launcher will be evolved to carry an expanded capacity of 1,500kg.
The government selected “small satellite launch vehicle (KSLV-I) development program’ as the first project to develop space launch vehicles. Space Launch Vehicle Division of KARI plays the pivotal roles in developing KSLV-I. Space Launch Vehicle Division of KARI accumulated the fundamental technologies on space launch vehicle as successfully putting KSR-III, the first liquid fuelled science rocket, and performs KSLV-I program requiring high reliability on the basis of the development experience of KSR series.
As part of comprehensive space efforts, to support the launch operations, a Korean space centre is under construction at Oenaro Island, Province of Jeollanam-Do, (South) Korea.
The space launch vehicle is developed in cooperation with many domestic and foreign partners spanning all the fields. Owing to their combined efforts, most of the design works have been completed and will be soon phased into manufacturing and test stages. In parallel, a more concrete study will be performed to seek an appropriate approach to develop the expanded launch vehicle, Korea Space Launch Vehicle-II (KSLV-II).
All licensing and regulatory process and procedures will be developed to an international level prevailing in the launch community and will be strictly complied with to ensure the ultimate launch success.
Korea Space Research Institute (KARI)
Established in 1989, the (South) Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) has been devoted to fulfilling its role as the leading national aerospace R&D institute in (South) Korea. R&D activities at KARI can be categorized into three areas: the development of cutting edge technology aircraft, the development of satellites, and the development of space launch vehicles. KARI also performs quality certification of aircraft and space products for the government.
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