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Infinity Fuel Cell’s Hydrogen Powerplant Heading to Space Aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard

By August 11, 2021 2   min read  (321 words)

August 11, 2021 |

Fuel Cells Works, Infinity Fuel Cell’s Hydrogen Powerplant Heading to Space Aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard
  • Infinity Fuel Cell and Hydrogen, Inc., of Windsor, CT, will send it’s hydrogen fuel cell power plant to space on an upcoming Blue Origin New Shepard launch.

WINDSOR, CONNECTICUT, UNITED STATES  — On July 20, Blue Origin flew its first crewed mission to space and back, demonstrating its capability for safe, reliable human spaceflight.

On an upcoming unmanned New Shepard launch, Infinity Fuel Cell and Hydrogen, Inc.’s advanced Non-Flow Through, NFT, fuel cell technology will follow that path, becoming the first fuel cell to launch into space aboard a commercial space vehicle.

Under a NASA-Infinity Tipping Point cooperative agreement contract initiated in 2020, Infinity is on track to launch aboard a New Shepard class vehicle in 2022. This launch will demonstrate the capability of its advanced, Non-Flow-Thru Proton Exchange Membrane, (NFT-PEM) fuel cell technology to survive the rigors of launch and operation in a weightless environment. This will also mark the first space flight of a fuel cell since retirement of the NASA Shuttle Orbiter and the first space flight of an NFT-PEM fuel cell since the Gemini program.

Infinity CEO and founder, William F. Smith, commented, “Fuel cells powered Gemini, Apollo and the Space Shuttle. The upcoming flight aboard New Shepard marks the return of fuel cell technology to space and is an important step forward in restoring fuel cell power capability to NASA’s toolbox for space power solutions.”

About Infinity—Founded in 2002, Infinity Fuel Cell and Hydrogen, Inc. is a market leader in the design and manufacture of air-independent, zero-gravity electrochemical systems including fuel cell systems for space and underwater applications. Infinity is also developing electrolysis technologies that can generate hydrogen and oxygen directly at 2000 psi and above.

About NASA Tipping Point–Through the “Tipping Point” solicitation, NASA seeks industry-developed space technologies that can foster the development of commercial space capabilities and benefit future NASA missions.

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