Saft space batteries aim to land on an asteroid in MASCOT mission
Saft will see one of its space-proven battery systems land on an asteroid to supply the sole onboard power source for the MASCOT spacecraft.
MASCOT will be carried by the Japanese Hayabusa-2 sample return mission and will land on the C-type near-Earth carbon rich asteroid 1999 JU3, take measurements and ‘hop’ between several measurement sites. The landing craft’s ability to propel itself around the surface of an asteroid makes it a first for mankind.
"The selection of Saft’s space-proven batteries for this demanding mission reinforces their reputation as the optimum choice when reliable power is absolutely mission-critical," said Serge Fouilhaux, General Manager of Saft’s Space and Defense Division. "Saft primary and rechargeable batteries have successfully completed many flagship flights on both spacecraft and satellites and we are now very excited to know that they will be landing on an asteroid before the end of this decade."
Saft’s lithium thionyl chloride (Li-SOCl2) LSH20 primary battery system was selected for its light weight, high electrical capacity, proven ability to withstand the conditions of space and ability to remain on standby for an extremely long period before active service. The chemistry of the cell gives it a low self-discharge rate, a particular advantage for the MASCOT lander because of the enormous distances involved in space travel to an asteroid.
CNES is supplying the complete MASCOT power subsystem to DLR (the German Aerospace Centre) which is responsible for developing the 10 kg lander – with a 3 kg payload. The Saft battery system will comprise a total of nine LSH20 cells in a 3s3p (three series – three parallel) configuration providing a nominal voltage of 11 V and capacity of 39 Ah.
Upon launch, the Saft battery system will remain in standby for four years during the voyage from Earth. Once Hayabusa-2 (which means Peregrine Falcon-2) arrives at the asteroid in June 2018, MASCOT will be released for a 100 metre flight towards its surface, and the battery will power the four payloads, the on board computer, navigation sensors, a hopping mechanism to re-locate its position on the asteroid and the communication system with the host spacecraft.
Visit Saft at www.saftbatteries.com
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