Battery Developer to Power NASA Lunar Robot

(NASA, Courtesy: Boston-Power)

Boston-Power Inc., in Westborough, Massachusetts, a developer lithium-ion batteries, says its battery systems have been selected to be part of NASA’s Project M, a project to land a working humanoid robot on the moon in 1,000 days.

The company’s batteries will be part of the pack providing power for the robot, known as Robonaut 2 or R2 (pictured left), a highly dexterous human-like robot designed to work alongside humans as a robotic assistant. R2, developed by NASA and General Motors to support astronauts working in dangerous environments and on repetitious tasks, is capable of performing a wide range of human skills and motions, and is the second generation of humanoid robots created for space travel.

Boston-Power is delivering to NASA a 2.5kWh energy storage system, as well as an integrated battery management system. The entire battery system is expected to deliver high-energy density, along with extended cycle and calendar life. The company says the system is designed to operate in wide temperature ranges, and to meet the weight, space and flight requirements of R2’s battery pack.