Success Stories – Dcubed

Source Energy

Maria — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 16:05:50 +0000

Success Story

Source Energy

Source Energy develops large silicon-cell solar arrays for spacecraft missions that demand fast delivery, competitive pricing, and the production volume to support missions at industrial scale.

Based in Colorado, Source is part of the new generation of space companies focused on building practical, readily-available hardware while making integration easier for customers and mission teams.

Their systems are designed to deliver reliable power in demanding environments, while supporting efficient spacecraft development and testing on the ground. Testing is central to ensuring this reliability, giving Source Energy’s customers the peace of mind that mission risk has been minimized.

Source Energy's Challenge

For many Source Energy customers, solar array deployment testing can be one of the most demanding — and expensive — parts of a campaign.

Historically, deployment hardware often allowed only a limited number of test cycles (if any at all). This meant configuration breaks, hardware swaps, and repeated setup work during qualification campaigns. Each interruption added engineering time, mission risk, and significant cost.

Customers increasingly realized that saving a small amount on deployment hardware like HDRMs could end up costing tens of thousands of dollars in overall testing cost. What they really needed was a reliable, flight-proven HDRM that could be reset and reused repeatedly without disrupting their campaign.

Dcubed Solution

Source Energy became an early adopter of Dcubed’s Milli Release Nut (mD3RN), quickly recognizing its potential to simplify testing and reduce operational friction.

Through the new strategic partnership, Dcubed will supply milli Release Nuts for Source Energy customer missions, supported by short lead times and responsive engineering support whenever and wherever it is needed.

Source Energy values the following attributes of the Milli Release Nut in particular:

Cost Efficiency — Dcubed’s resettable HDRMs reduces the need for consumable hardware, lowering overall production and testing costs across multiple test campaigns.
Reduced Contamination and Safety Risk — Pyrotechnic HDRMs carry some handling risks and can produce particulate contamination when fired. A resettable, non-pyrotechnic mechanism eliminates these hazards, making it safer for personnel. Testing Flexibility – During ground testing, our engineers need to repeatedly simulate launch and deployment sequences. Dcubed’s resettable HDRM allows the mechanism to be reset and tested multiple times without replacing components, saving our team time and cost during the integration and test phase.

Speaking about the power of the partnership, Source Energy’s CEO, Philip Keller said:

“The Dcubed resettable HDRM is a well-engineered solution that directly addresses the testing challenges we face during satellite integration and test. We see clear value in the mD3RN for our current and future customers.”

In addition, the fact that Source and Dcubed are practically neighbors in Colorado ensures fast, onsite collaboration is easily possible whenever it’s required.

Dcubed Impact

By switching to an easily resettable, reusable, flight-proven release mechanism, Source Energy customers can now perform dozens of deployment cycles without replacing hardware or pausing their test campaign.

This eliminates costly configuration breaks, reduces schedule risk, and often saves customers tens of thousands of dollars in a single campaign. In practice, Dcubed’s mechanism frequently pays for itself many times over before launch.

More broadly, the partnership reflects the shared philosophy of both companies: making space engineering easier, and making procurement and integration faster and more predictable for mission teams.

It’s also a strong example of Dcubed’s Vertical Integration 2.0 approach, where vendors become true partners to mission teams — not just product suppliers.

Let’s Make Your Next Test Campaign Easier

If you’re planning a mission and want to eliminate deployment headaches, reduce testing costs, and keep your campaign moving without interruptions, Dcubed is ready to help.

Talk to the Dcubed team about reliable deployment solutions for your next mission.

German Aerospace Center (DLR)

Maria — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 13:15:51 +0000

Success Story

German Aerospace Center (DLR)

The German Aerospace Center (DLR) is the aerospace research center of the Federal Republic of Germany. Its research and development work in aeronautics, space, energy, transport and security is integrated into national and international co-operations. Over 11.000 employees, scientists and engineers work in 54 institutes and facilities on 30 sites.

The DLR Institute of Communications and Navigation is dedicated to mission-oriented research in selected areas of communications and navigation. Its work ranges from the theoretical foundations to the demonstration of new procedures and systems in a real environment and is embedded in DLR’s Space, Aeronautics, Transport, Security and Digitalization programs. The Institute currently employs around 255 staff, including about 190 scientists at the locations Oberpfaffenhofen and Neustrelitz and Aachen-Merzbrück.

The department Optical Satellite Links deals with the application of optical technologies in satellite communication and related topics. The department is internationally networked with all this work, is involved in numerous international projects and, in particular, maintains close relationships with selected industrial companies. The transfer of the technologies and know-how developed to industry is one of DLR’s key objectives and is consistently pursued.

DLR’s Challenge

DLR has been working on Cube1G, a laser communication terminal developed for small satellites and CubeSats to provide bidirectional optical communication with a data rate of up to 1 Gbit/s.

To enable parallel operation and communication with the satellite, Cube1G is equipped with a Coarse Pointing Assembly (CPA), that can steer the laser beams independently from the platform’s attitude.

The CPA moves freely in azimuth and elevation, but it must be kept stationary during the rocket launch. Therefore, two nD3PP were selected to be used as a launch lock that keeps the CPA fixed during the launch and will be released in the commissioning phase in space.

Dcubed Solution

The integrated Cube1G payload had to be tested and qualified for the final in-orbit demonstrator mission in the SeRANIS (Seamless Radio Access Networks for Internet of Space) project. Especially the high vibration loads were challenging for the design, and DLR experienced a nD3PP Pin Puller getting stuck after vibration testing.

To help, a Dcubed Customer Solutions Engineer went on-site to DLR to identify the cause as a galling material combination between the pin and the corresponding socket. The socket could be redesigned using a material combination suggested by Dcubed. With the updated parts in place, the payload was successfully shaker-qualified two weeks later.

Dcubed Impact

Dcubed was very supportive and developed solutions together with DLR engineers. The flexible and responsive support was one key to our successful development, alongside the key features of the nD3PP, including its form factor and compact design, as well as short lead time.

“The collaboration with Dcubed led to a streamlined, efficient and reliable CPA design. The small form factor of the Pin Puller, the short lead times and the support during trouble shooting helped throughout all phases of the project leading to a flawless Cube1G payload.”

Sidus Space

Maria — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 14:10:00 +0000

About Sidus Space

Sidus Space is an innovative space and defense technology provider delivering flexible, cost-effective solutions across satellite manufacturing, space-based data, AI/ML-driven services, mission planning, and space hardware. Best known for its LizzieSat® platform, Sidus Space designs, builds, and operates compact satellites that serve government, defense, intelligence, and commercial customers worldwide. Headquartered on Florida’s Space Coast, Sidus Space combines rapid innovation with proven space heritage to reimagine access to space.

Sidus Space’s Challenge

As the LizzieSat platform evolved toward a scalable micro-constellation, Sidus Space identified the need to upgrade its solar array deployment architecture. Earlier missions relied on internally developed, single-use burn wire release systems. While functional, these systems limited testability, slowed integration cycles, and introduced unnecessary risk as production volumes increased. Sidus Space required a more robust, resettable, and flight-proven solution that would accelerate testing, reduce integration risk, and support aggressive delivery timelines across multiple spacecraft.

Dcubed Solution

After evaluating several alternatives, Sidus Space selected Dcubed’s Nano Pin Pullers to deploy eight rigid solar arrays per LizzieSat spacecraft. Dcubed will supply 16 flight units for the next set of satellites, replacing burn wire systems with resettable Hold-Down and Release Mechanisms (HDRMs). Dcubed’s Nano Pin Pullers offer proven flight heritage, scalability, and rapid availability—enabling repeated test cycles without hardware replacement. Engineering models have already been delivered, with testing underway through Q4 2025, and flight unit delivery scheduled for December 2025.

Dcubed Impact

By integrating Dcubed’s Nano Pin Pullers, Sidus Space significantly improves its deployment architecture while reducing risk across satellite assembly and verification. Resettable release mechanisms enable faster iteration, more efficient testing campaigns, and greater confidence ahead of launch. This supports Sidus Space’s ability to scale the LizzieSat micro-constellation while maintaining precision, reliability, and schedule discipline—key factors as demand grows for faster and more flexible spacecraft production.

“Integrating Dcubed’s Nano Pin Pullers into our LizzieSat platform enhances our deployment architecture. Their resettable HDRMs enable rapid test cycles and reduce integration risk—capabilities that are critical as we scale our constellation under aggressive timelines.”

Intuitive Machines

Maria — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 14:02:53 +0000

Success Story

Intuitive Machines

Intuitive Machines is a leading space technology, infrastructure, and services company headquartered in Houston, TX, USA, which is building the Space Data Network (SDN)—a scalable, intelligent architecture designed to deliver minimal-latency space data services. From communications and autonomous coordination to space-based IoT powered by precision PNT technology, Intuitive Machines is laying the groundwork for sustained lunar operations and a new era of space-based data access.

Intuitive Machines' Challenge

To deploy the first segment of the SDN—the Lunar Data Network—Intuitive Machines required a highly reliable solar power subsystem for one of its initial satellites, scheduled for launch in 2026. The mission demanded rapid proposal turnaround, accelerated delivery timelines, and a partner capable of delivering robust, space-ready hardware without compromising quality. With five satellites planned, Intuitive Machines needed technology and a supplier able to keep pace with the speed, precision, and scalability of their lunar infrastructure vision.

Dcubed Solution

Dcubed was selected to deliver the solar array power subsystem for the first Intuitive Machines satellite. The solution includes two rigid deployable solar wings providing 2 kW end-of-life total power output, engineered to meet the mission’s performance and reliability requirements. Leveraging its agile development capabilities and state-of-the-art robotic assembly line, Dcubed committed to an accelerated production and delivery schedule of less than 10 months. The proposal was submitted within 72 hours of initial discussions, reflecting Dcubed’s responsiveness and technical credibility.

Dcubed Impact

Dcubed’s rapid execution and scalable solar array technology enable Intuitive Machines to move quickly toward establishing the Lunar Data Network. With high-capacity data transmission, precision PNT services, autonomous operations, and scalable infrastructure support, the network will empower future missions with real-time coordination, resource prospecting, logistics, mobility, and long-duration lunar operations. By accelerating the buildout of Intuitive Machines’ SDN architecture, Dcubed is contributing to foundational infrastructure for the next generation of lunar exploration.

“Dcubed’s responsiveness and reliable solar array technology support the pace and precision required to deploy the Lunar Data Network as part of our broader Space Data Network.”

Genesis Space Flight Laboratories

Maria — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 10:09:19 +0000

Success Story

Genesis Space Flight Laboratories

Croatia-based Genesis Space Flight Laboratories is on a mission to make space research more accessible. After debuting with MAYASAT-1 — a 1U biological incubator launched on SpaceX’s Transporter-14 rideshare mission — the company secured seed funding to pursue three follow-up missions with its GEN Sample Return Capsule, targeting launch in 2026 and reentry in 2027.

Genesis Space Flight Laborotaries' Challenge

The GEN-1 capsule is one of the smallest space capsules ever developed. Designed for frequent microgravity experiments with sample return capability, it can be deployed from standard CubeSat and PocketQube dispensers and operate autonomously for up to nine months. Once the reentry trajectory is reached, the capsule detaches while its host satellite burns up.

Dcubed Solution

To solve this challenge, Genesis selected Dcubed’s nD3RN Nano Release Nut, a miniature, flight-proven Hold Down and Release Mechanism (HDRM) engineered for missions where space and mass are at a premium. For a system as compact as GEN-1, traditional separation rings were not feasible, and custom burn-wire mechanisms couldn’t guarantee the precision or repeatability required for reentry missions. Dcubed’s actuator offered a compact, lightweight, and reliable European-built solution — uniquely suited to the GEN capsule’s design constraints.

Dcubed Impact

In addition to the actuator’s technical performance, Dcubed’s flexibility and hands-on support were key factors in Genesis’s supplier decision. The Dcubed team delivered hardware ahead of schedule, organized separation testing at their facility, and collaborated closely with Genesis engineers to design a custom cup-and-cone interface to further minimize the risk of sticking during release. The nD3RN actuator demonstrated clean and repeatable separation during prototype tests at Dcubed HQ, even under stringent reentry-alignment requirements.

For Genesis, the choice of Dcubed wasn’t just about finding a product that fits — it was about finding a partner that could adapt, innovate, and deliver with the same precision and commitment they bring to their own work. Genesis and Dcubed are now working together toward the 2026 GEN-1 mission, marking another milestone in Europe’s growing ecosystem of small-space innovators and showcasing how precision-engineered deployables enable bold new possibilities in orbital research and return capabilities.

“Launching a payload to space is inherently complex, but achieving its safe return presents even greater challenges. Mission success with GEN depends on highly specialized solutions and subsystems, as well as collaboration with leading experts in the field. Dcubed is a highly professional, internationally recognized company with extensive experience providing actuators and solar arrays for numerous missions. We are honored to partner with them and have received support far beyond our expectations. We strongly recommend Dcubed for any project involving deployables.”

Quartus

Maria — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 13:43:09 +0000

About the Quartus Engineering Test

Quartus Engineering is a recognized leader in high-precision aerospace testing, with a focus on high reliability. Its key expertise is in analysis & testing, custom metrology solutions, robotics & mechanisms, and precision optical systems. When it had a requirement to capture some actuator shock test data, the company reached out to Dcubed to request some test units. For Dcubed, this was a great opportunity to independently verify the shock performance of its uD3RN Micro Release Nut via a partner with the technical know-how and advanced measurement tools needed to thoroughly test the device.

The goal of the campaign was to evaluate the mechanical shock produced by the uD3RN during release events and determine its suitability for shock-sensitive missions and payloads. These include spacecraft carrying fragile optical systems, deployable structures, or precision instruments where shock-imposed vibrations can be a risk. A secondary aim was to assess the repeatability and consistency of the device across multiple triggers under identical conditions.

A successful test would also further support Dcubed’s reputation as a component partner that can reliably deliver on ultra-low shock requirements. This is particularly important in the context of the “Test as you fly, fly as you test” protocol, which is now mandatory for spacecraft owners that want to fly on SpaceX rideshare missions.

Testing Setup

Quartus Engineering designed a custom test rig to simulate real-world launch and deployment scenarios. The setup incorporated representative masses and mounting structures to ensure that test results would closely mirror conditions in orbit.

Using a data acquisition system sampling at 100,000 times per second, the team captured an exceptionally detailed view of the nut’s shock behaviour during actuation. Over multiple test cycles, the uD3RN was actuated in a controlled environment while high-speed sensors recorded every detail of the release event—from initial trigger to full separation. This comprehensive dataset enabled the construction of a precise Shock Response Spectrum (SRS) for each actuation.

Dcubed Performance

The results, documented in this paper, speak for themselves. Across all trials, the Dcubed uD3RN Micro Release Nut consistently delivered exceptionally low SRS levels no greater than 330 g over a bandwidth of 10 Hz – 10 kHz, confirming its status as one of the lowest-shock release mechanisms currently available. The shock output remained highly stable between triggers, demonstrating a level of reliability and repeatability critical for space missions.

Conclusion

Thanks to this independent validation, mission designers now have a proven, flight-ready and ultra-low shock solution for deploying critical hardware with minimal mechanical disturbance—reducing risk and expanding what’s possible in spacecraft design.

Gama Space

Maria — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 13:38:21 +0000

Success Story

Gama Space

Gama is a French space start-up developing sails for space – firstly dragsails to deorbit spacecraft, subsequently solar sails to explore deep space at a fraction of today’s cost. Gama’s flagship product, Astrobrake, offers an economical, autonomous and reliable solution for passively deorbiting satellites, rocket stages and space station components, while fully complying with international space regulations.

Gama Space’s Challenge

For their first orbital demonstration, they needed a compact and reliable deployment solution that could function autonomously and withstand years in orbit. The design constraints were challenging: a 0.5U form factor, no power or fuel, a 4+ year dormancy period, and just 50 mm of clearance between hinge and release nut. They also needed something resettable for rapid testing.

Dcubed Solution

Dcubed’s nD3RN actuator was selected and quickly adapted to Gama’s tight specs. Its compact size, fast reset process, and simple mounting made integration and testing fast and efficient. The ability to test and reset within minutes accelerated development dramatically.

Dcubed Impact

For Gama Space, the greatest advantage of working with Dcubed has been the combination of technical impact and an outstanding working experience. That includes helping them solve design challenges, accelerating the development timeline and providing all the supplementary support and documentation required.

And the results speak for themselves. Astrobrake-S Gen0 reached TRL8 in early 2025 and is headed for launch in Q4. Gama has now selected the Dcubed nD3RN actuator again for Astrobrake Gen1, which will feature a larger sail, longer lifespan, and customizable deployment logic. Proof, if any were needed, that in Dcubed, Gama Space has found a partner it can rely on for the evolution of its space sail technology.

“Dcubed supported us not only in solving a key design challenge, but also in accelerating our development timeline. Within just a few weeks, we were able to test multiple HDRM configurations and identify the most suitable option for our system, thanks to the responsiveness and expertise of the Dcubed team. The simplicity and reliability of the deployment and reset process made testing significantly more efficient.”

University of Bern

Markus — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 17:45:08 +0000

Success Story

University of Bern

The University of Bern in Bern, Switzerland is a leader in space research and technology. It currently serves as the Principal Investigator (PI) for two critical instruments on the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Comet Interceptor mission: CoCa (COmet CAmera), a high-resolution camera, and MANiaC (Mass Analyzer for Neutrals in a Coma), a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. These instruments, currently planned to launch in 2029, will help researchers gain untold insights into the composition and behavior of comets.

University of Bern Challenge

For the CoCa mission, the University of Bern required a mechanism to lock down the filter wheel in the camera’s focal plane assembly. The mechanism needed an extremely small (< 8cm3) and lightweight (< 30 grams) footprint while providing reliable performance under harsh conditions that could be experienced throughout the mission.  Additionally, they required a solution that could be tested and reset multiple times before launch to help offset risk. The team’s initial attempts to find a product that matched their needs were unsuccessful until they discovered Dcubed.

Dcubed solution

Dcubed’s Nano Pin Puller (nD3PP-ST), chosen for its compact size (5cm3) and light weight (25 grams), seamlessly integrated into CoCa’s existing architecture. Its ease of testing and ability to be reset hundreds of times without the use of special tools provided the University of Bern with the flexibility needed to ensure mission success.

Dcubed impact

Dcubed’s Nano Pin Puller not only met the University of Bern’s expectations but also exceeded them, achieving desired results well above its published specifications by a factor of 2x in terms of the qualification load levels. The effective communication and quick turnaround of days instead of months helped the University of Bern team to quickly and confidently incorporate the functionality they were looking for into the CoCa mission.

"We greatly appreciated the speed in which we received the Dcubed Nano Pin Puller in a matter of just a few weeks. Our team experienced outstanding customer support throughout the entire hardware procurement process, which has been crucial in addressing the technical challenges of our mission. This level of detail and the high-quality product have made a significant difference in the confidence of our mission's success."

LASP

Markus — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 16:53:04 +0000

Success Story

LASP

LASP, or the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, at the University of Colorado Boulder (USA) is the only academic research institute in the world to have sent scientific instruments to every planet in our solar system, the sun, and a host of moons. Successfully building and launching over 150 CubeSats, for which NASA was the primary customer. LASP’s rich 75-year history is literally out of this world and its proud tradition of innovation keeps it at the cutting edge of science.

LASP Challenge

LASP used to build their own release mechanisms based on burn-wire technology, which required them to spend a lot of time, effort, and money to refurbish them. This led to their teams only performing minimal required testing due to the cost, hassle, and time required to reset their deployables. This significantly increased the risk of potential mission failure due to the mission-critical nature of these release mechanisms. With burn-based mechanisms, you can either test them or fly them due to their expendable nature.

Dcubed solution

Dcubed worked with the LASP teams to determine the best solutions for their missions, eventually ordering over a dozen nano pin pullers and nano release nuts. Since Dcubed’s shape memory alloy-based actuators allow for over 100 repeatable tests and reset within seconds, it allows LASP to follow a “test as you fly and fly as you test” approach without the extra time or cost investment, while simultaneously reducing their mission risk.

Dcubed impact

LASP is currently using Dcubed actuators for NASA’s DynaGlow and SunCet CubeSats to trigger a variety of onboard mechanisms like aperture doors and deployables from antennas to solar arrays. This allowed LASP’s teams to realize a 23% faster development cycle and seize an 11% risk reduction due to the ability to have continuous, effortless deployment testing.

“LASP and Dcubed’s collaboration has transformed our approach to spacecraft development. By integrating their resettable actuators, we’ve optimized our processes – resulting in 23% faster development cycles due to being able to test and reset the actuators hundreds of times.”

Redwire

Markus — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 09:11:47 +0000

Success Story

Redwire

Redwire Space (NYSE:RDW) is a global space infrastructure and innovation company enabling civil, commercial, and national security programs. Redwire’s proven and reliable capabilities include avionics, sensors, power solutions, critical structures, mechanisms, radio frequency systems, platforms, missions, and microgravity payloads. Redwire combines decades of flight heritage and proven experience with an agile and innovative culture. Redwire’s approximately 700 employees working from 14 facilities located throughout the United States and Europe are committed to building a bold future in space for humanity, pushing the envelope of discovery and science while creating a better world on Earth.

Redwire Challenge

Redwire built several 12U CubeSat deployable antennas for a US government agency customer that they needed actuators for. However, they had only experienced solutions from other providers that were too complex, took up too much volume, and were too heavy. At the same time they faced limitations with respect to the load carrying capacity and resetability.

Dcubed solution

Dcubed worked with the Redwire team to assess their needs and provide them with an easy ordering process and an ultra-fast turnaround time of eight weeks to meet their customers’ tight deadlines. The project required multiple COTS nano release nuts, which are some of the smallest (17x17x17 mm), lightest (25 grams) and most powerful (>250N) space-proven actuators available on the market today.

Dcubed impact

The customer’s timeline was greatly expedited by 4 months due to the quick production turnaround. This allowed for designing, ordering, integrating and testing to take place within just 12 weeks. At the same time, the electrical and SMA redundancy of the Nano Release Nuts was a significant risk reduction measure for the deployable payload and the overall space mission.

"Redwire’s collaboration with Dcubed has led to faster development cycles for us and our customers. Since their release actuators are resettable and testable hundreds of times, we can keep extras on hand for new projects. Dcubed’s products are incredibly user friendly!"