Environment & Energy

Fuel cells use hydrogen and oxygen in a chemical reaction – not combustion – to generate electricity

Fifty years ago today, Gemini 5 made history as the first manned spacecraft to utilize fuel cells, allowing the United States to seize the manned spaceflight endurance record from the Soviet Union for the first time, and launching the commercial fuel cell industry, says the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association.

“Today we are celebrating fifty years of fuel cell deployment, beginning in 1965 with the Gemini 5, the first deployment of fuel cells in a manned flight, achieving the first crucial steps that helped America to land a man on the Moon,” said Association President Morry Markowitz in a press release.



This successful historic mission led to the use of fuel cells on all subsequent American manned space missions throughout the Gemini, Apollo, and Space Shuttle programs.

“The initial support of NASA provided the catalyst needed to launch the commercial fuel cell industry. Fuel cell and hydrogen technology has evolved and improved exponentially since then, moving from the rarity of space travel to everyday power for passenger vehicles, forklifts, utilities, businesses, homes, and more,” said Markowitz.

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