Boeing has awarded Saft a multi-million-dollar order for lithium-ion batteries to power a new satellite built to expand communication and data transmission services in selected parts of Asia.
Works to develop four battery packs with VES 140S space cells started in January this year with delivery scheduled for December, Saft said Monday.
Thomas Alcide, Saft’s specialty battery group general manager, said a goal of the partnership is to improve satellite communications capabilities around the globe.
The contract, which is part of a 2009 agreement between Boeing and Saft, aims to supply 12.7 kilowatts of electricity to the SES-9 for two 45-day eclipse seasons within its 15-year lifespan in orbit.
According to Saft, VES 140S cells have been used in previous Boeing and U.S. government satellite programs.
