NASA tests solid-state battery cells down to minus 80°C
Small solid-state battery prototypes operated at temperatures down to −80°C in thermal-vacuum tests at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, the agency reported on October 14.
Published October 18, 2026Briefs / Energy / Advanced Battery Tech
Small solid-state battery prototypes operated at temperatures down to −80°C in thermal-vacuum tests at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, the agency reported on October 14. Performance was slightly reduced at that temperature; the cells operated well from −60°C to 80°C.
The tests are part of SPEARS, a NASA project developing batteries for harsh lunar conditions. Its cells replace liquid electrolytes with solid ceramic- or polymer-based materials. NASA also reported that the prototypes survived exposure from −170°C to 100°C without damage.
Survival is different from operation: the batteries cannot supply power at −170°C and would need heaters to bring them back into their working range. Avoiding continuous heating could reduce the weight and energy demands of future lunar equipment.
The work remains at the prototype stage. NASA’s Ames Research Center is developing test electronics and hardware to prepare the batteries for spaceflight; the announcement describes laboratory results, not batteries already proven on the Moon.