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The space industry is particularly averse to fire; thus, solid-state batteries were born. A typical all-solid-state lithium battery can not only store double the energy as standard lithium-ion but also provide enhanced safety and longer life cycles.

Hitachi Zosen goes commercial; company sends its all-solid-state batteries into equipment manufacturing space.

An as-of-yet undisclosed semiconductor equipment manufacturer has placed the first commercial order for 12 all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries (coined AS-LiB) with a capacity of 140 milliampere-hour from battery pioneer Hitachi Zosen, with future orders on the way as part of a new product.

A typical all-solid-state lithium battery can not only store nearly twice as much energy as a standard lithium-ion battery but is also not prone to catching fire like its present-day commercial counterpart. Though risk of fire is rare, when it does occur, it is chemically fed and intense, provoking the industry to continue to explore other battery compositions.

The space industry is particularly averse to fire; thus, solid-state batteries were born.

Viewed by most as the inevitable next step in battery technology, solid-state batteries provide enhanced safety, much higher energy density, and longer life cycles, making them especially attractive for energy-hungry applications like electric vehicles and clean energy storage like solar.

Initially engaged in experimental research, Hitachi Zosen received sample orders from various industries for its AS-LiB design before this, with its most notable customer being the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

In a joint demonstration study launched in March 2022, Hitachi Zosen fitted a 140 mAh Space AS-LiB battery for an in-orbit equipment demonstration mission contracted by NASA and headed for the International Space Station. The battery was installed on the station's extravehicular experimental platform of the Kibo Japanese Experiment Building.

After a more than year-long charge and discharge cycling test in space, the Space AS-LiB returned to Earth on the SpaceX Cargo Dragon near the coast of Florida on Dec. 23, 2023. It then was delivered to the Tsukuba Space Centre of JAXA on Jan. 26, proudly earning the company a Certificate of Space Flight from JAXA.

The company will soon conduct dismantling analyses and evaluations upon the battery's return to their technical research laboratory in Osaka City this month.

Hitachi Zosen's outbound demonstration samples have mainly been for semiconductor-related equipment and have demonstrated a wide operating temperature range, capable of charging and discharging in low and high-temperature environments where typical batteries can't be used due to various safety risks.

In 2021, the capacity of Hitachi Zosen's all-solid-state batteries stood out as one of the world's largest –seven times that of previous products (at 1,000 mAh) – all while functioning in harsh environments. By 2023, Hitachi Zosen produced samples with a capacity of 5,000 mAh. The company plans to continue to increase its battery capacity by 2025.

The AS-LiB product line includes two models: 140 mAh and 1,000 mAh. The dimensions of the 140 mAh model are 52 by 65.5 by 2 millimeters (2 by 2.6 by 0.08 inches), and it operates within a wider temperature range. Two additional 55 mAh and 5,000 mAh models with an even wider operating temperature range are under development.

The applications for hardy solid-state batteries have been growing, and this first show of commercial interest is only the beginning. If jetpacks and flying cars are still on the horizon, they will likely host space batteries like these.