The role of fuel cells in NASA's space power systems

The advances in fuel cell technology which have expanded the capabilities of the fuel cell from that of power generation to include energy storage also expanded its potential role in space power systems. This paper presents a brief evolutionary history of the fuel cell technology and compares this with NASA's increasing space power requirements. The role of fuel cells is put in perspective with other energy storage systems applicable for space using such criteria as type of mission, weight, reliability, costs, etc. Potential applications of space fuel cells with projected technology advances are examined.