SBIR-STTR Award

An innovative, lightweight and compact separation system is presented. Its new approach to separation system design provides major improvements over traditional V-bands, separation bolts and explosive frangible joints. This concept, dubbed "Lightband", weighs one fourth that of existing technologies and is half the height. The time and reset cost are a fraction of existing technologies allowing cost effective and statistically meaningful reliability measurements. Separation springs and innovative low friction separation electrical connectors are integral to the design, easing spacecraft integration and design effort and reducing needed footprint. The Lightband uses no pyrotechnics. Consequently, shock, static discharge, particulate contamination, and safety concerns have been reduced or eliminated. The Lightband is shorter allowing payload to get taller. The Lightband's versatility allows use on space vehicle and missile diameters from 8.0 to 102.0 inches and can be shaped to common geometric shapes to optimize high-density spacecraft packaging concepts. Improvements will yield significant cost savings and an increased mass to orbit performance 1 - 3% of most space systems, and significantly more on small (<100 lb) payloads. The Lightband can similarly improve launch vehicle and missile staging.

An innovative, lightweight and compact space vehicle and missile stage separation system is presented, with an opportunity to further develop the capability and versatility of this technology for a variety of space flight applications. Under a Phase I SBIR now approaching conclusion, PSC successfully demonstrated the basic design for an innovative separation system which provides major improvements in performance over traditional V-bands, separation bolts and explosive frangible joints. This product, called "Lightband," promises clear superiority to existing technology in virtually all vital functional criteria, including weight, size, shock, robustness, safety and cost-effectiveness in testing and in flight performance. Work during the Phase I period has permitted identification of specific additional progress needed in three key areas in order to fully realize the technical and commercial potential of this promising new technology: (1) Improve the original design for enhanced performance. Contemplated enhancements will yield superior mass-to-orbit performance for the full range of satellite launch missions while affording increased testability and reliability. (2) Develop Lightband technology for use in a variety of other space flight applications. (3) Identify and pursue specific opportunities for flight experience on government and commercial space flights.

Keywords:
Space Vehicle, Separation, System, Lightweight, Low-Shock