NASA selects proposals for advanced energy storage systems for future space missions: silicon-anode Li-ion and Li-S
08 August 2014
NASA has selected four proposals for advanced Li-ion and Li-sulfur energy storage technologies that may be used to power the agency’s future space missions.
Development of these new energy storage devices will help enable NASA’s future robotic and human-exploration missions and aligns with conclusions presented in the National Research Council’s “NASA Space Technology Roadmaps and Priorities,” which calls for improved energy generation and storage “with reliable power systems that can survive the wide range of environments unique to NASA missions.” NASA believes these awards will lead to such energy breakthroughs.
Managed by the Game Changing Development Program within NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, the four selected technology proposals are:
Silicon Anode Based Cells for High Specific Energy Systems, submitted by Amprius, Inc, in Sunnyvale, California (earlier post)
High Energy Density and Long-Life Li-S Batteries for Aerospace Applications, submitted by the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena
Advanced High Energy Rechargeable Lithium-Sulfur Batteries, submitted by Indiana University in Bloomington
Garnet Electrolyte Based Safe, Lithium-Sulfur Energy Storage, submitted by the University of Maryland, College Park
Phase I awards are approximately $250,000 and provide funding to conduct an eight-month component test and analysis phase. Phase II is an engineering development unit hardware phase that provides as much as $1 million per award for one year, while Phase III consists of the prototype hardware development, as much as $2 million per award for 18 months.
Proposals for this solicitation were submitted by NASA centers, federally funded research and development centers, universities and industry. NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, manages the Game Changing Development program for the Space Technology Mission Directorate.
NASA is working closely with the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA-E) and other partners to propel the development of energy storage technology solutions for future human and robotic exploration missions. Committed to developing the critical technologies needed for deep space exploration, NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate will make significant investments over the next 18 months to address several high-priority challenges in achieving this goal.
Maybe NASA can get some real product here.
I swear If we ran the space race and the nuclear program like we have battery development we would still be hearing about labs announcing promising results on a rocket that may be able to get us to the moon in 3-5 years!
"University of take-your-money United has announced their research team under Professor P. Admywallet has designed a nuclear warhead they believe will yield 10-20 MT of explosive power. "With three to five more years of grad students paying me to do my work, we'll be ready to announce our next breakthrough!" Said Professor P. "This project is completely novel, unlike the other research team at Northern B.S.U which produced a remarkably similar result using similar materials but they used an ball shaped explosive charge whereas we used a oval shape." More press releases are expected soon!
Posted by: Wiredsim | 08 August 2014 at 06:21 AM
If money was no object, what would be your preferred battery technology?
Posted by: HealthyBreeze | 13 August 2014 at 02:57 PM