TransForum Vol. 9, No. 1

Argonne Engineer Helps Assess NASA's Energy Storage Capabilities

The prototype for NASA’s Lunar Electric Rover is a plug-in electric vehicle with a 125 W-hr/Kg lithium-ion battery. NASA researchers are working to meet NASA requirements that the rover have a 200 W-hr/Kg battery. Photo courtesy of Regan Geeseman, www.nasa.gov.

Jim Miller has done some pretty far out research on batteries and fuel cells here at Argonne, but one of his recent endeavors was really out of this world.

Miller, a senior electrochemical engineer and director of Argonne’s Electrochemical Technology Program, was part of a National Research Council (NRC) committee formed to assess space exploration technology at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The NRC committee recruited Miller for his expertise in advanced batteries and fuel cells.

Energy storage is a critical piece of NASA’s technology program for a number of reasons: space shuttles use fuel cells for on-board electric power, astronauts have batteries on their spacesuits during spacewalks, and NASA’s use of solar power for long duration missions on the Moon or Mars would require significant energy storage.

To evaluate NASA’s existing technology program, committee members visited sites like the Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston and the Glenn Research Center (GRC) in Cleveland. From the Supersonic Wind Tunnels at GRC to Mission Control Center at JSC, Miller was exposed to some fascinating things during the assessment process.

“I really didn’t know all that much about NASA before this,” Miller said. “So I found it to be an extremely interesting experience.”

The NRC study began as a directive from Congress, which required that NASA conduct an independent assessment of its Exploration Technology Development Program (ETDP) and how well it is aligned with the objectives of the Vision for Space Exploration (VSE). Former President George W. Bush announced the VSE in 2004, instructing NASA to “extend human presence across the solar system, starting with a human return to the Moon by year 2020, in preparation for human exploration of Mars and other destinations.”

The committee report, “A Constrained Space Exploration Technology Program: A Review of NASA’s Exploration Technology Development Program,” found that NASA’s ETDP is making progress toward its stated goals, but that there are significant constraints limiting the technology program’s ability to accomplish these goals. The constraints include a limited budget, the still dynamic nature of the Constellation Program requirements, the aggressive time scale of early technology deliverables, and the desire to fully employ the NASA workforce.

But with a constant need for innovative and improved energy solutions, Miller believes that Argonne’s battery research could also be beneficial to NASA in the future.

“Research being done in Argonne’s advanced lithium-ion battery program could very well find its way into future applications in the space program,” Miller said. “In fact, I’d be disappointed if it didn’t.” In terms of energy storage, the committee found that NASA has very good facilities for both battery and fuel cell research and testing, and that their efforts are well aligned with the VSE.

May 2009