Battery for Space Suits
South Korea's leading chemical company LG Chem will supply lithium-ion batteries for U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) space suits, entering the global space market. The company said this marks first such deal for Korea.
LG Chem announced on July 17 that it has recently signed a supply deal with NASA to provide its lithium ion batteries for the agency’s space suits used for space exploration. Under the agreement, the local battery maker will start providing NASA with its new battery in the second half of the year. NASA will use the battery to provide power to its space suits.
An official from LG Chem said, “The company’s batteries will serve a key role in the spacesuits, which have various functions such as oxygen suppliers, communications equipment and radiation detectors for the survivals of astronauts.”
LG claims its battery to be supplied to NASA have five times longer lifespan and price competitiveness than silver-zinc batteries that are widely used in aviation, aerospace and military sectors. Due to the high price and short lifespan of silver-zinc batteries, NASA recently decided to change it to lithium-ion batteries and conducted its internal stability test for the samples from major battery makers.
LG Chem applied its patented "stability reinforced separator (SRS)" technology to pass the test, proving its excellence in performance and stability. The technology boosts the stability of a lithium-ion battery by coating the separator with ceramic material and increasing thermal and mechanical strength to prevent internal short-circuit.