NASA SPEARS Solid-State Cells Survive Lunar Temperature Swings in Vacuum Tests
SPEARS solid-state cells passed lunar-relevant thermal-vacuum cycling, confirming survival across 270 °C swings and operation down to −80 °C. The advance reduces heater mass for Artemis assets and opens terrestrial uses in extreme cold. Scaling and energy-density gains remain the critical hurdles before flight qualification.
NASA’s SPEARS effort replaces liquid electrolytes with ceramic or polymer solids to eliminate freezing, evaporation, and fire risks in lunar night temperatures that reach −200 °C. Small pouch cells were cycled in vacuum chambers at Langley while Glenn researchers tuned electrode chemistry; performance held at −60 °C and showed only modest fade at −80 °C. Heaters are needed only briefly to reach operating temperature, promising lighter thermal-control systems for rovers and habitats.
Conventional lithium-ion packs fail these conditions because liquids solidify or boil. SPEARS cells therefore address a documented gap in Artemis power budgets where mass and reliability directly limit sortie duration in permanently shadowed craters. The same chemistry could also serve terrestrial cold-chain logistics and high-altitude drones, markets already investing in solid-state platforms.
Next steps include scaling to 10 Ah cells and integrating with lunar-rover prototypes by 2027. Parallel work at other agencies on sulfide electrolytes suggests SPEARS may need to demonstrate >300 Wh kg⁻¹ at −60 °C to remain competitive once commercial solid-state packs reach flight heritage.
Dornbusch: SPEARS 10 Ah packs will demonstrate 200 Wh kg⁻¹ at −60 °C with <5 % fade after 100 cycles by end of 2026.
Sources (2)
- [1]Primary Source(https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/langley/nasa-develops-batteries-to-power-humanitys-return-to-moon/)
- [2]Supporting Source(https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20230008912)