Abstract: A hold-down and release apparatus for a flight termination system having a terminal portion for holding-down and releasing a structural object which has an arrangement for attaching to the flight termination system. The hold-down and release apparatus includes several movable clamping segments provided on the terminal portion of the flight termination system that are engageable in a complimentary fashion with the attachment arrangement on the structural object for releasably attaching the structural object to the flight termination system. The hold-down and release apparatus also includes springs for biasing the movable clamping segments means in a disengaging direction that causes the clamping segments to disengage from the attachment arrangement on the structural object to release the structural object from the flight termination system.

Abstract: A system (10) for establishing bypass of a failed battery cell (18) includes a failed cell sensor (26) which on sensing a failed cell generates an electric signal that destroys clamping relation of two retaining wire spools (24) to release retaining means (14,16). Such release enables a unitary plunger assembly (28) to be moved by a spring (49) to position a cylindrical pin contact (52) in electrical shorting relation to the first and second electrodes (57,58) connected across the cell (18).