As reported by Engadget on Tuesday, February 2, 2021.
When NASA astronauts Mike Hopkins and Victor Glover conducted an extravehicular activity on Feb. 1, they replaced the aging NiMH batteries on ISS with new lithium-ion models, ending a multi-year effort. The ISS program approved the development of lithium-ion batteries in 2011 to replace the station’s aging power storage system.
Production of the batteries began in 2014, and JAXA’s Kounotori 6 resupply flight provided the first lithium-ion replacement to the station in December 2016. Now, four years after that flight and 14 extra-vehicular activities with 13 different astronauts, the upgrade is finally complete.
The ground controller uses the Canadarm2 robotic arm to place some batteries for installation. However, some additional extra-vehicular activity was required for locations that were out of reach of the arm. The batteries are not like our usual lithium-ion batteries, which have space-grade lithium-ion cells and radiation shielding. Because lithium-ion technology has a higher energy density than NiMH, only 24 new batteries are needed to replace 48 old ones.
The ISS uses batteries to store solar energy and use its solar panels for energy storage and to harness that energy every Time sunlight is unavailable. And this happens often, as the station passes between sunlight and darkness every 45 minutes. The stored power is necessary to keep all the components on the ISS (including the weather station’s Life support system) working properly. In addition to providing the power needed for the station, the batteries provide the insight we need to improve lithium-ion safety.
Now that this upgrade is complete, ISS plans to shift its focus to replacing the power station’s solar panels. Over the next few years, six new arrays will be flown on SpaceX flights to replace the current 15 arrays that are nearing the end of their useful life.
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