NASA specification for manufacturing and performance requirements of NASA standard aerospace nickel-cadmium cells

On November 25, 1985, the NASA Chief Engineer established a NASA-wide policy to maintain and to require the use of the NASA standard for aerospace nickel-cadmium cells and batteries. The Associate Administrator for Safety, Reliability, Maintainability, and Quality Assurance stated on December 29, 1986, the intent to retain the NASA standard cell usage policy established by the Office of the Chief Engineer. The current NASA policy is also to incorporate technological advances as they are tested and proven for spaceflight applications. This policy will be implemented by modifying the existing standard cells or by developing new NASA standards and their specifications in accordance with the NASA's Aerospace Battery Systems Program Plan. This NASA Specification for Manufacturing and Performance Requirements of NASA Standard Aerospace Nickel-Cadmium Cells is prepared to provide requirements for the NASA standard nickel-cadmium cell. It is an interim specification pending resolution of the separator material availability. This specification has evolved from over 15 years of nickel-cadmium cell experience by NASA. Consequently, considerable experience has been collected and cell performance has been well characterized from many years of ground testing and from in-flight operations in both geosynchronous (GEO) and low earth orbit (LEO) applications. NASA has developed and successfully used two standard flight qualified cell designs.