DOZENS of batteries developed in Oxfordshire are orbiting the earth in spacecraft engaged in ground-breaking research.

The latest battery is in GOCE (Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer), which will orbit the earth for two years, to measure the earth's gravitational field and the thickness and movement of polar ice sheets.

It helps scientists build computer models to predict the impact of climate change.

It is the 51st to be made by ABSL Space Products of Culham Science Centre, which has another 50 in its order book, set to be fired into space.

The Oxfordshire company's previous space battery went up with the Kepler space telescope, designed to find other planets in outer space.

Battery units have also gone to Nasa's mission to observe the sun, and another to investigate possible landing sites on the moon.

The batteries, which weigh up to 40kg, have to be built specially for each mission. They need to be extremely reliable and as light as possible, but must have enough capacity to last many years in orbit.

ABSL sales and marketing manager Roger Dewell said: "Our analysis tools calculate whether our design will be strong enough, as we don't want to find any problem when we are testing the finished article."

As well as batteries, the company also provides instrument parts for satellites to monitor climate change, map weather patterns and study the surface of other planets.

Mr Dewell said: "The recession-proof nature of our business, funded as it is by contracts from large international organisations such as the European Space Agency and Nasa, means that we can plan for the future market needs for our space products with confidence."

The Culham workforce has grown from 45 to about 65 over the past few years. Mr Dewell added: "Our order book is very strong and we have contracts up to our 100th mission."