Product category: Batteries and Chargers
News Release from: Saft Space and Defence Batteries | Subject: Li-ion batteries
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial Team on 30 April 2008
Li-ion batteries power Galileo
experiments
A Saft battery module comprising 27 Li-ion cells is providing power for the onboard electronics in the Giove-B satellite, launched this week from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.
Saft Li-ion batteries have started their first mission for Galileo, Europe's own global navigation satellite system, with the successful launch of the Giove-B experimental satellite from the Baikonur Cosmodrome Giove-B has been built by the EADS-Astrium prime contractorship with Thales Alenia Space as main industrial partner to validate critical technologies and frequencies being used for the 30-satellite Galileo MEO (medium Earth orbit) constellation
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 18 Dec 2006 at 8.00am (UK)
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It will perform in-orbit testing and characterisation of critical payload elements, such as the high-precision maser clock - the most accurate clock ever flown in space - and the Galileo navigation signal and receivers.
Thanks to its heritage in particular on the Thales Alenia Space Proteus platform, EADS-Astrium, Thales Alenia Space, Galileo Industries and the European Space Agency (ESA) selected Saft Li-ion battery technology to provide reliable onboard backup power for Giove-B's electronic systems during periods with no direct sunlight for more than 60 minutes.
Throughout these eclipse periods, which will take place at least 170 times a year, the Saft batteries will deliver around 0.6kW of power to ensure the satellite's continued operation.
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"The successful launch of Giove-B is a critical step for the completion of the preliminary phase to the Galileo constellation", says Tom Alcide, SBG General Manager.
"Saft is contributing to that success by providing Li-ion batteries to the satellite and delivering outstanding performance within a compact, lightweight package".
"Saft is already involved in the next Galileo phase, for which we are supplying the Li-ion batteries for the four IOV (in-orbit validation) satellites, due for launch in 2010, that will provide the satellite navigation to validate the Galileo performance".
The Giove-B battery module comprises nine Li-ion battery packs connected in series, with each pack containing three Saft VES 100 cells in parallel - a total of 27 cells.
The cells were manufactured in Saft's factory in Bordeaux, France and integrated into the battery module and tested at Saft's facility in Poitiers, France.
Galileo is scheduled to be fully operational in 2013.
It will comprise 30 satellites in a Walker constellation.
It is seen as an independent but complementary positioning system to the US GPS and Russian Glonass.
Galileo is being designed around the needs of civilian users with the objective to make the already existing and future satellite-based navigation systems interoperational and compatible. Request a free brochure from Saft Space and Defence Batteries ...
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