Ultra Low Temperature Batteries (ULTB)

Develop low temperature batteries that enable an extended Europa Lander Mission architecture: Enable and increase the landed mission lifetime (relative to commercially available primary batteries) allowing science operations to proceed until an additional Europa Orbiter pass, Reduces the mass and power consumption to enable an additional science instrument and operations, Greatly enhances power margins, mass margins, and lifetime of the baseline mission

NASA funded: This technology is required by the current Europa Lander baseline mission. The benefits of the improved specific energy and low temperature operation enable a mission to be executed to meet a minimum set of science requirements. NASA unfunded: This technology will benefit future deep space missions as it is the next step in high density chemical energy storage for extreme temperature operation. OGA: This technology will be made available to the aerospace industry via vendors that are working to produce the flight products. All other government agencies will have access. It is anticipated that many government agencies will benefit from the increased specific energy for low temperature operation. Commercial: Commercial Space Industry may benefit from the increased specific energy for low temperature operation by relaxing thermal design/management requirements on commercial s/c buses. Nation: Enables scientific discovery on the surface of Europa with high potential to impact other future deep space missions.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 5) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.