Evaluation of commercial Li-Ion 18650 battery cells for deep space applications

The adoption of Commercial Off-The-Shelf components in the space sector has significantly grown in recent years, with 18650 Li-Ion battery cells emerging as a reliable solution for energy storage in small satellites. This paper presents a comprehensive comparative analysis of nine 18650 Li-Ion cells from leading manufacturers to identify an optimal candidate for deep space missions in low temperature environments. Critical performance parameters such as energy capacity, energy density, low-temperature capacity retention, voltage stability, and thermal behavior were assessed through discharge tests and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy measurements. The findings underscore the importance of selecting cells based on temperature-dependent performance characteristics rather than solely relying on nominal specifications. This study provides valuable insights into the design of efficient and reliable energy storage systems for deep space microsatellite missions. • Performance evaluation of nine 18650 cells under low-temperature conditions. • Effects of low temperatures on the internal impedance of selected cells. • Selection of the most suitable cell model for space missions in cold conditions. • Promote the use of commercial 18650 cells in CubeSats on deep space missions.