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PSC is a space vehicle mechanisms manufacturer offering separation systems, solar arrays and other deployable release devices. US and international patents pending. Contact PSC for further information or to schedule a demonstration.
Using technology explored under the SBIR program, AFRL's Space Vehicles Directorate successfully developed and transitioned the country's next generation small spacecraft separation system called the "Lightband" from concept to application. Operating under limited SBIR funding a VS team developed, designed, tested, and successfully flew the world's first reusable, non-discrete point, low-shock, non-pyrotechnic, separation system. This "Lightband" system successfully separated the NASA's Starshine-3 primary satellite from Lockheed Martin's Athena I launch vehicle on the first orbital launch out of Kodiak, AK.
Due to the program's success this separation system is baselined into AFRL's University NanoSat Program, TechSat21, XSS-11, SMC's STPSat and MLV-05 (first EELV Secondary Payload Adapter [ESPA] flight), Navy's NPSat, and the Universities "CubeSat". The "Lightband" represents a major advancement in small satellite separation system technology. The "Lightband" is 25% lighter, 50% smaller, 40% cheaper, and generates <5% the shock of existing conventional pyrotechnic separation systems. For the Starshine-3 spacecraft, the low-shock separation system reduced the shockinduced loading from 8,000 g's (typical pyrotechnic separation system) to <300 g's. The "Lightband" provides a capability that reduces on-orbit failures, reduces the cost of design and redesign, and reduces launch costs. It is estimated that this technology could save spacecraft programs several million dollars in life-cycle-costs per spacecraft.
Walter Holemans
Planetary Systems Corporation
2303 Kansas Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Phone: (301) 495-0737
Website: http://www.planetarysystemscorp.com/
Email: info@planetarysystemscorp.com
