SBIR-STTR Award

The goal of this proposed R & D project is to develop safe, low cost, robust lightweight electrochemical power sources for space launch vehicle upper stages, and flight termination batteries for space launch vehicle first stages. The project specifically addresses a Flight Termination Battery (FTS) that weighs less than 7.0 lbs., another Flight Termination System Battery that weighs less than 20.0 lbs., and an Upper Stage Battery that weighs less than 92 lbs. The batteries will be developed with low cost lithium Ion electrochemical cells. The project is intended to innovatively enhance battery safety as well as resolve voltage regulation and severe vibration and shock dynamic environmental issues that are common to batteries in vehicle launches and subsequent mission operations.

Benefits:
The anticipated benefits of this project will be the development of safe and robust advanced power source technology that will provide more power and energy at reduced weights in support of Air Force, NASA, and commercial launch vehicles. Commercial benefits extend to the non-governmental customers that rely on the capability of these vehicles to reliably launch their payloads.

Keywords:
launch vehicle batteries, lithium ion, safe, reliable, robust, launch applications