Gas strut separation for staged rocket

A method of providing a separating force, comprising:

• (a) providing a gas strut including first and second telescoping members, a high pressure gas chamber, a low pressure gas chamber, a metering passage between the chambers, and a metering passage seal;
• (b) holding the telescoping members in a telescopingly collapsed first position wherein the metering passage seal prevents gas flow through the metering passage, and providing a first separating force between the telescoping members in the first position due to gas pressure in the high pressure chamber;
• (c) releasing the telescoping members and allowing the telescoping members to move from the first position toward a telescopingly expanded second position;
• and
• (d) as the telescoping members move from the first position toward the second position, flowing pressurized gas from the high pressure gas chamber to the low pressure gas chamber via the metering passage and increasing the separating force.