COSMO-SkyMed first lithium ion battery for space based radar

The paper describes the valuable experience gained to design the battery assembly to support a space based radar system with high peak currents and the associated challenges that were overcome. The paper also discusses the required design ingenuity to reduce the magnetic moments to manageable levels; how the dynamic power profiles and exceptional pulse performance of the Sony 18650 small cells enabled this power profile to be achieved; the complexity in designing a thermal configuration to ensuring minimal gradients and minimizing cells operating temperatures to optimize battery life. In addition, the paper includes results of real time and accelerated life testing performed on the mission profile.