(Chatsworth, CA 7 September 2022) – The U.S. Air Force launched an unarmed intercontinental ballistic missile at 1:13 a.m. Pacific Standard Time on Wednesday 7 September 2022. This was the first Minuteman III flight test with the new Integration Instrumentation System (IIS) developed by the Boeing Company. Space Vector designed, produced, and qualified the new Li-Ion Batteries that are used to power the IIS. These batteries included an on-board smart Battery Management System (BMS) for protection and balancing the cells during ground charging and could be decoupled during the flight.

The 39611 Flight Termination System (FTS) batteries had successfully passed rigorous RCC 319 test requirements along with AFSCM 91-710 Safety Testing. Space Vector also developed and provided the charger/analyzers that can be used by Range Safety personnel for verifying battery performance prior to flight.

Preliminary indications indicated that all the batteries performed nominally through flight. “We are very proud to be able to support the Minuteman flight test program with these batteries” said Blake Rosengren, Space Vector Director of Battery Products. Space Vector continues to screen cells and produce these RCC 319 qualified batteries for future Minuteman flight tests.