NASA is working on a new class of battery designed to survive the Moon's punishing climate, where daytime highs reach 212°F and nighttime lows at the southern pole can plunge to minus 328°F. Conventional lithium-ion batteries, which rely on liquid electrolytes, freeze in such conditions and also struggle in extreme heat, making them unsuitable for lunar missions.
The agency's SPEARS project—short for Solid Power for Extreme Environment Adaptability and Resilience in Space—is testing batteries built with solid ceramic or polymer materials instead of liquids. These solid-state cells still need to be warmed before use, but they have shown no damage from extreme cold and require less energy-intensive thermal management than current lithium-ion packs.
While the immediate goal is to support future Artemis campaigns, the same battery technology could eventually find its way into consumer gadgets and other applications on Earth. That potential crossover gives the project commercial significance beyond space exploration, though the source notes the work is still in development and no timeline for terrestrial products has been announced.