[Satellite Today 11-17-08] Saft received a contract from MicroSat Systems Inc. to provide rechargeable lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries for Orbcomm’s Generation 2 satellite program, Saft announced Nov. 17.
    Saft will deliver its medium prismatic microsatellite batteries beginning in 2009. The contract to provide systems for 18 satellites is Saft’s largest single order ever for microsatellite batteries, the company said.
    The satellites will be based on the same design MicroSat developed for NASA’s TacSat-2 satellite. Each Orbcomm satellite will be equipped with an enhanced communications payload designed to increase subscriber capacity by up to 12 times more than the current satellites. Saft’s high voltage Li-ion cells enable the satellite to carry a larger payload by reducing an average 50 percent of its weight, Saft said.