KISS-24 Separation System Achieves Flight Heritage with D-Orbit on SpaceX Transporter-17

July 9, 2026. OCCAM Space’s KISS-24 separation system, supplied to D-Orbit, has achieved flight heritage following successful launch of SpaceX’s Transporter-17 rideshare mission aboard a Falcon 9 rocket.

The mission marks three key milestones for OCCAM Space: the first flight of KISS-24, a 24-inch clampband separation system; the first participation in a SpaceX rideshare mission; and the first project with D-Orbit, a space logistics and orbital transportation company.

KISS-24 now joins OCCAM Space’s growing flight heritage. Other separation systems developed by the company have already flown successfully, including a KISS-XL clampband system exceeding four metres in diameter that completed separation in late 2025.

As part of its work for D-Orbit on Transporter-17, OCCAM Space was responsible for the design and manufacture of the separation system. The Spanish company also supported the payload integration campaign in the United States in the weeks leading up to lift-off and later provided technical support at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. “This mission is an important milestone for OCCAM Space and for KISS-24,” said Manuel Serrano, CEO of OCCAM Space. “Achieving flight heritage on a SpaceX rideshare mission, together with a customer like D-Orbit, confirms the maturity of our approach and the value of simple, robust and scalable separation systems for today’s launch market.”

Fewer components and faster integration than comparable systems

KISS-24 belongs to OCCAM Space’s KISS family, a range of clampband separation systems developed to provide reliable, efficient payload separation for launch vehicles, satellites and in-orbit applications. The system is designed around a simplified architecture, using approximately one tenth of the components found in comparable systems and helping to minimise potential failure points.

During launch campaigns, efficiency is critical. KISS-24 can be integrated in less than one hour under nominal conditions, helping customers reduce integration time and simplify operations at the launch base. The system is also resettable, allowing repeated ground testing with the same flight hardware used for the mission.

“Separation is one of the most critical moments of any mission. It must work precisely, reliably and at the right time,” added Manuel Serrano. “That is why we focus on simple architectures, fewer parts and systems that are easy to integrate.”

KISS-24 is designed to make full use of available launch interface capacity, with strong performance margins and homogeneous preload distribution enabled by OCCAM Space’s patented architecture.

The flight reinforces the scalability of the KISS architecture, with the same design principles applicable from 8-inch systems to large-diameter applications of around four metres.

The collaboration with D-Orbit is expected to continue in upcoming missions, with additional OCCAM Space separation systems already planned for future launches later this year.

The company is also expanding its portfolio for rideshare missions, including the development of KISS 15 and other solutions designed to address a broader range of payload interfaces and mission requirements.