US battery manufacturer EnerSys will supply lithium-ion cells and batteries valued at over $60 million to multiple space agencies and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) worldwide.
Quallion LLC, an EnerSys subsidiary, will manufacture the lithium-ion raw materials and 72Ah large format battery cells at its production facilities in California.
The batteries will be designed, manufactured and tested by EnerSys subsidiary, ABSL Space Products, at its manufacturing facilities in Longmont, Colorado (for US-based space programs) and Oxfordshire, United Kingdom (for European programs).
The first battery products are scheduled to be shipped later this year and will be used in multiple types of satellites and launch vehicles.
With the qualification of these large format lithium-ion cells, EnerSys will be the only US manufacturer with full production of lithium-ion materials, cells and batteries for space applications.
Jeffrey Long (pictured), president of EnerSys in America, stated: “These new awards totalling more than $60 million demonstrate development and product acceptance beyond our lead-acid business, and will leverage our recent lithium technology expansions.”
Mark Mathews, vice-president of EnerSys Advanced Systems, added: “These lithium-ion space contracts illustrate the continued strength of our market position within the aerospace and defence sector worldwide.”
In 2011, the firm became the first lithium-ion battery supplier to power a satellite when launched aboard the Proba-1 spacecraft, which has become the longest lithium-ion powered mission.