Magnetic Cutdown is a proposed new cutdown method.

During ascent, small permanent magnets would be attached to either side of each of the ropes attaching the payload to the balloon. If a cutdown was activated by the flight computer, current would be passed through three electromagnets, on left, right, and centre of the cutdown mechanism, and the four permanent magnets would be attracted to them. This would free the ropes, leaving the payload to descend.

To stop the ropes slipping through the permanent magnets during ascent, non-magnetic metal discs thicker than the ropes would be attached to the bottom of both ropes, preventing the ropes slipping out of the grasp of the magnets.