Simsbury, Conn. — Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company (EBAD) has confirmed the successful flight and actuation of its Payload Release Module (PRM9104), marking a critical milestone in the company’s separation system roadmap. The mechanism successfully dispensed Impulse Space’s Mira spacecraft from the launch vehicle’s upper stage during the recent Transporter-15 rideshare mission.
This operation represents the second successful flight of the PRM9104, a system engineered to address the increasingly rigorous mechanical environments of high-density rideshare launches. The deployment underscores the operational maturity of EBAD’s NEA® (Non-Explosive Actuator) technology, which provides the ultra-low shock release required to protect sensitive orbital transfer vehicles (OTVs) like Mira.
Impulse Space’s Mira serves as a high-thrust platform for commercial and national security missions, designed to offer significant in-space mobility. EBAD officials highlighted the synergy between their separation technology and Impulse Space’s maneuvering capabilities.
“Serving as a responsive, high-thrust platform for commercial, civil, and national security missions, [Mira] represents a major advancement in in-space mobility, enabling customers to reach and operate in their final orbits quickly, easily, and affordably,” the company stated regarding the mission partner’s vehicle. “EBAD is honored that its precision dispensing technology once again played a key role in enabling Mira’s deployment into space.”
Scaling for Constellations: The mission builds upon the heritage of the predecessor PRM9103, which has seen extensive use across government and commercial sectors. EBAD is now moving to scale the product line to meet the demand for heavier payloads.
According to the company, the larger PRM9106 is currently on schedule to take flight in 2026. This expansion is a direct response to “growing payload and constellation requirements,” positioning the PRM family as a standard interface for the next generation of mega-constellations.
Industrial Reliability: The PRM™ mechanism is designed to align with the industry’s shift toward redundant, low-shock separation systems—a critical requirement as launch vehicles become more powerful and payloads more sensitive.
“EBAD’s family of PRM™ dispensing mechanisms has been selected for some of the world’s largest commercial and military constellations, chosen for its reliability, simplicity, and proven performance,” the company stated. “As demand for responsive launch and in-space mobility accelerates, EBAD remains committed to providing mission-ready hardware that customers can trust.”
