Remember when there was a panic about lithium-ion batteries exploding and causing havoc, even potentially bringing down a jetliner? Well, imagine if we could turn that dangerous aspect into something useful. That’s exactly what a team at the Aerospace Company is working on—they want to use the fiery nature of lithium-ion batteries to deorbit defunct satellites.
Almost all satellites have lithium-ion batteries as a backup power source. These batteries are already widely used in the industry. However, the satellite industry faces a growing problem of space debris in low Earth orbit (LEO). Some of this debris will never deorbit on its own.
Various strategies have been proposed to tackle the space debris problem, but the Lithium Ion Battery Deorbiter (LiBDO) offers a unique solution. Instead of relying on external hardware, LiBDO would modify the battery pack itself to puncture it and use the resulting gases as a thruster. Initial tests have shown promising results, with a single battery cell puncture reducing a satellite’s deorbit time by up to 55%.
Reducing deorbit time is crucial for avoiding collisions with other debris in orbit. The researchers also found that the amount of debris created by the puncturing process is minimal and unlikely to cause any damage. The technology’s adoption timeline remains uncertain, but the potential of using a weakness of lithium-ion batteries as a tool to solve the space debris problem is truly remarkable.
