Case Study: EnerSys achieves rapid on-orbit validation of U.S.-made ZeroVolt™ 18650 batteries with Spire's 3U LEMUR cubesat

Spire’s 3U LEMUR cubesatellite is providing a low-cost platform to test EnerSys® ZeroVolt™ 18650 battery cells in orbit

EnerSys needed a fast, low-cost way to validate its ZeroVolt™ 18650 lithium‑ion battery cells in orbit to prove technology readiness for satellite and military applications under the U.S. Space Force SSC SBIR program. Traditional on-orbit testing can be slow and expensive, so EnerSys partnered with Spire to use Spire’s space-as-a-service model and 3U LEMUR cubesatellite platform to get rapid access to space.

Spire integrated EnerSys® ZeroVolt™ 18650 cells into a 3U cubesat, providing end-to-end services (on-site integration, launch, FCC licensing, on-orbit checkout and ground station operations) and moved from design to launch in 12 months. The satellite has operated nominally since July 2021, enabling EnerSys to collect on-orbit performance data; Spire’s rapid-build cadence (one satellite every ~10 days) and turnkey approach delivered a faster, lower-cost flight demonstration.

EnerSys

Joseph Troutman

Manager of Business Development