LG to supply lithium-ion batteries for Nasa spacesuits

LG Chemical (LG Chem) will supply lithium-ion batteries for Nasa spacesuits. The company said this marks first such deal for Korea.

LG claims its battery have five times longer lifespan than silver-zinc batteries that are widely used in aerospace and military sectors. Its batteries were put through Nasa's internal short-circuit (ISC) stability test.

LG's batteries outlasted all other rival batteries manufacturer in Korea and Japan in the test. The company used its patented stability-reinforced separator technology to pass the test.

"The ISC device test has proved that LG Chem's battery has excellent energy density, stability and lifespan and thus is the most optimal option for NASA's space suits," a Nasa official told the Korean Times.

Not only to the space industry, LG is supplying batteries to more than 20 carmakers worldwide such as Hyundai, Kia Motors, General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Renault, Volvo, Audi and Chinese companies such as SAIC Motor, Great Wall Motors, FAW Automotive and Chery. Recently in June, the company won a deal with Norwegian Shipbuilder Eidesvik to provide lithium-ion battery for the eco-friendly hybrid ship.

"We have shown the excellence of our battery technologies before the global market as we passed the stability test by Nasa, which holds a matchless position in the aerospace and space sector," Lee Woong-beom, president for LG Chem's battery business division.

"We will strengthen the partnership with Nasa to provide batteries applicable to more diverse aerospace and space equipment," he added

An official from LG Chem said the batteries will power life-support equipment in the space exploration suits, including Oxygen supply, telecom and the radiation detector. "Our batteries will work like the heart of such cutting-edge equipment," the official added.