GS Yuasa batteries continue to store power on the International Space Station. A second batch – of lithium-ion cells – was delivered into space by the ISS’s H-II Transfer Vehicle, which was launched by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) on 23 September. The new batteries replace the older nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) cells currently installed on board which were installed in December 2016.
All energy on board the ISS is produced by solar panels and stored in the space craft’s batteries. This stored energy is then used to power on board systems during nocturnal periods – of which there are 16 every 24 hours due to the ISS’s orbit around the earth.