Recently, the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has invented a new high-performance battery that researchers claim could be used to power all-electric aircraft. This type of battery is considered a breakthrough after a process of solid-state battery research, allowing more energy and lighter than industry standard lithium-ion batteries.

It is known that this solid-state battery has an energy density of 500 Wh/kg – nearly double the batteries that are rated as the leading electric vehicle manufacturers at the moment, including batteries from “big man” Tesla (about 300 Wh/kg).

To achieve this, NASA has reworked the battery case structure to optimize weight. Unlike electric batteries, which are often a combination of many small independent batteries, NASA batteries are designed to stack shellless panels on top of each other with only a single outer shell, thereby reducing weight by 30-40% than usual.

NASA claims its solid-state batteries can withstand twice as much heat as the lithium-ion batteries in current electric vehicles, and promises to make them extremely successful if used in the field of aviation, which has strict safety regulations than the auto industry.

Currently, NASA is still looking to develop the battery to better withstand heat and pressure. The ultimate aim is to use it to pioneer a new era of sustainable aviation that eliminates carbon emissions and aircraft noise.

Prior to that, Nasa had made significant progress in this area through its experimental X-57 aircraft, nicknamed the Maxwell, which replaced fuel-powered propellers with an all-electric propulsion system.

Reference: Independent