Low Temperature Low-Earth-Orbit Testing of Mars Surveyor Program Lander Lithium-Ion Battery

Abstract

A flight -qualified, lithium -ion ( Li -ion ) battery fabricated for the Mars Surveyor Program 2001 lander is undergoing life -testing at low temperature under a low -Earth -orbit (LEO) profile to assess its capability to provide long term energy storage for aerospace missions. Li -ion batteries are excellent candidates to provide power and energy storage for sate llites in LEO due to their high specific energy, high energy density, and excellent low temperature performance. Although Li -ion batteries are increasingly being used for aerospace m issions in geosynchronous orbit, some challenges still remain before they can be deemed a suitable replacement for their secondary alkaline battery counterparts in long cycle life LEO applications. Life cycle testing of this battery is being conducte d in the l aboratory to characterize battery -level performa nce and to examine the dynamics of individual cells with in the stack under aerospace conditions . Data generated in this work is critical to establish confidence in the technology for its widespread use in manned and unmanned missions. This paper discusses the performance of the 28 volt, 25 ampere -hour battery through 9000 LEO cycles, which corresponds to over 18 months on LEO orbit. Testing is conducted at 0 °C and 40% depth -of -discharge. Individual cell behaviors and their effect on the performance of the battery are descr ibed . Capacity, impedance, energy efficiency, end of -discharge voltages , and cell voltage dispersions are reported. Relationships between cell temperatures, cell impedance, and their relative position in the battery stack are discussed.