Brand identity system Document PSP-001 · Uncontrolled
Planisphere
Version 0.1 · Working draft Issued 2026-05-17
A substrate for measured variation

Project the
sphere onto
a flat plane.

Planisphere is the measurement substrate for comparing any set of subjects across any set of categories. We turn high-dimensional variation into a surface decisions can be made on.

Founded2026
DomicileDelaware
SectorDual-use
ClassSubstrate
N · 000° E · 090° S · 180° W · 270°
01 ·
The premise.
What we measure · How we project · Why it matters

A planispheric astrolabe projects a 3D celestial sphere onto a 2D plane while preserving angular relationships. We do the same thing for variation. Given any set of comparable subjects scored on any set of comparable categories, we produce a surface decisions can be made on — fast, defensible, and domain-agnostic.

01 · Substrate, not solution

We do not ship vertical apps. We ship the underlying measurement layer that vertical apps are built on top of.

02 · Comparability is the asset

The value is not the score. The value is that two scores from two contexts can be compared at all.

03 · Pluggable by design

Dynamic categories and pluggable formats are not features. They are the product.

02 ·
The mark.
Primary identifier · Construction · Clearspace
PSP-M1 · Light
PSP-M1 · Dark
Planisphere
— Variation, measured · Decisions, projected —
Construction Two concentric rings; a horizontal equator and vertical meridian; an arc lens projecting top hemisphere onto bottom. Every geometric element references the planispheric astrolabe.
Clearspace Minimum clear area on all sides equals the diameter of the inner ring. Never crop, never overlap, never recolor outside the approved palette.
Minimum size Mark: 16px square digital, 8mm print. Wordmark: 80px wide digital, 20mm print. Below these, switch to monogram-only.
Wordmark Fraunces Light with italic "sphere" cluster in brass. The italic is non-negotiable; it carries the projection metaphor.
03 ·
The palette.
Three primary · Five secondary · No gradients
Primary · 70%
Void
Hex · 060810
Rgb · 6 8 16
Pms · Black 6 C
Primary · 20%
Vellum
Hex · F4F1EA
Rgb · 244 241 234
Pms · Warm Gray 1 C
Primary · 10%
Brass
Hex · B8915A
Rgb · 184 145 90
Pms · 7503 C
Iron
#1A1F26
Linen
#E8E3D7
Sand
#DAD3C2
Signal
#C4452E
Plot
#2D5A4F
The void rule Void is the default ground for product and presentation. Vellum is the default ground for written and printed material. Brass is the accent — used in less than 10% of any surface.
No gradients No gradients. No mesh. No glow. Flat fills only. The instrument metaphor demands precision.
Signal & Plot Signal (red) is reserved for warnings, alerts, and the "you are here" point. Plot (deep green) is for positive states, success, and chart lines.
Ratio Roughly 70 / 20 / 10 between primary colors on any composition. The eye should land on Brass last.
04 ·
Typography.
Fraunces · Inter Tight · JetBrains Mono
Display
Fraunces
Light 300
Italic available
Optical size 144
Tracking -0.03em
Variation,
measured.
Body
Inter Tight
Light 300 / Regular 400 / Medium 500
Tracking 0
Leading 1.55
Hyphenation off

A planispheric astrolabe projects a 3D celestial sphere onto a 2D plane while preserving angular relationships. We do the same thing for variation — turning high-dimensional difference into a comparable surface.

Detail
JetBrains Mono
Regular 400 / Medium 500
Tracking 0.06em-0.18em
Used uppercase for labels
Used sentence case in code
PSP-001 · CLASSIFICATION  ─  UNCONTROLLED
SUBJECT      : Adapter fleet variation
CATEGORIES   : 17 active · 4 deprecated
PROJECTION   : Stereographic, conformal
COVERAGE     : 99.4% across observed range
LAST UPDATED : 2026-05-17T14:22:08-04:00
The italic rule Italics are reserved. They mark the brand's recurring gesture — the projection, the verb, the move from sphere to plane. Use sparingly, always at display weight.
No bold for emphasis Emphasize through italic display type or color. Bold weights are not part of the system. Medium 500 is the heaviest body weight.
Sentence case Default to sentence case. ALL CAPS is reserved for mono labels and headers ≤32 characters. Title Case is forbidden.
Numerals Tabular figures in code and data. Old-style figures in body text. Lining figures in display only when typographically required.
05 ·
Voice & tone.
Instrument-precise · Operator-direct · Quietly serious
We are

An instrument. Calibrated, legible, useful in the hand.

We are not

A platform. A solution. A revolutionary new way.

We say

Project. Measure. Compare. Resolve.

We do not say

Empower. Unlock. Disrupt. Synergize. Game-changing.

We sound like

A spec sheet that happens to be beautifully written.

We do not sound like

A pitch deck. A LinkedIn post. A press release.

Voice in context

Tagline · Long

Planisphere is the measurement substrate for comparing any set of subjects across any set of categories.

Tagline · Short

Variation, measured. Decisions, projected.

Product copy

Define your subjects. Define your categories. Score once, compare forever — across runs, across operators, across domains.

Error message

Two subjects must share at least one category to be comparable. This pair shares none. Add a common category or split the comparison.

Headline · Defense

The same substrate that ranks adapter fleets ranks anything else with the discipline to be scored.

06 ·
In application.
Surface treatments across primary touchpoints
Web · Hero · Dark
Project the sphere onto a flat plane.
planisphere.io PSP-001
L. Ross
Founder · Substrate
+1 ··· ··· ···· Planisphere
CLI · Operator surface
psp › compare adapters --against=baseline-q2
[ok] resolving subjects ······················· 247
[ok] resolving categories ····················· 17
[ok] projecting onto plane ···················· ✓
[ok] variance computed ······················· 0.31σ
[!] 3 subjects below threshold — see psp-031
psp › _
v0.2.4-rc1 localhost:8081
Print · Capability card · Recto
Substrate spec
ClassMeasurement substrate
SubjectsDomain-agnostic
CategoriesDynamic, pluggable
ProjectionStereographic
OutputComparable surface
DomicileSovereign-ready
Hierarchy Default to dark surfaces for product, light for documents. The brass accent earns its presence by being rare.
Density Always include a document number, version, or timestamp. The brand is precise — every artifact should look like it could be filed and retrieved.
Margins Use 56px gutters on web, 32mm on print. Generous white space is not minimalism; it is the projection plane.
No imagery No photography in v0.1. Diagrams, monograms, and typography only. We earn the right to images after the system is proven.
07 ·
What we refuse.
The brand is defined as much by its abstentions
×
Defense-tech maximalism

No flag overlays, no neon green, no terminal-on-fire aesthetic, no SOCOM cosplay. The aesthetic of seriousness is not the same as the aesthetic of force.

×
SaaS minimalism

No Inter on white. No pastel gradients. No isometric illustrations of cubes. The category is too soft; the work is too sharp.

×
The word "platform"

We are a substrate. Substrates underlie. Platforms host. The distinction is the entire pitch.

×
Vertical-specific brand pivots

The same brand serves adapter fleets, supply chains, and any other use case. We do not change colors when the deck changes. The substrate is the substrate.

×
Founder-as-protagonist

Profiles, podcasts, and posed photographs come later, if at all. The instrument speaks for itself. Operators do not need a face on the box.

×
Roadmap as marketing

We do not announce what we have not shipped. The brand earns trust by being measured in the same way our customers will measure their world.