Development of Lithium-Ion Pouch Cell Using Stainless-Steel Laminated Film for JAXA’s SLIM Lunar Lander

Abstract

This paper reports the development of a 10 Ah lithium-ion pouch battery cell using stainless-steel laminated film as the casing material for JAXA’s SLIM lunar lander. By selecting the pouch format, the mass ratio of the case and electrode terminals is significantly reduced, which is superior to conventional space batteries using prismatic metal cases. A high specific energy of approximately 130 Wh/kg was achieved. In addition, unlike standard batteries using aluminum-laminated film, the battery developed during this study deforms little when subjected to a vacuum. It can thus be mounted on a spacecraft with a simple, lightweight bracket, contributing to higher specific energy as a module. This paper reports the results of environment tests for the SLIM mission and the basic electrical characteristics of the battery.