Planetary Systems Corporation is a space vehicle mechanisms manufacturer offering separation systems, solar arrays and other deployable release devices. Using technology originally developed at Air Force Research Laboratory's Space Vehicles Directorate, PSC developed, designed, tested, and successfully flew a reusable, non-discrete point, low-shock, non-pyrotechnic, separation system, the Lightband. The Lightband represents a major advancement in small satellite separation system technology and is 25% lighter, 50% smaller, 40% cheaper, and generates less than 5% of the shock of existing pyrotechnic separation systems. The result of this is that Lightband reduces on-orbit failures, reduces the cost of design and redesign, and reduces launch costs, saving spacecraft programs several million dollars in life-cycle-costs per spacecraft.
