Editing Air Star (section)

=== Development of the Nova ===

The Nova series was designed by Mike Wood, an inventor and pneumatic systems engineer from Irvine, California. Wood had previously developed pneumatic equipment, including CO₂-powered launchers used to propel promotional items at sporting events.[2]

Air Star operated under Pneu Systems Inc. and was established as a paintball equipment business during the late 1990s.

Its first marker, the Nova 700, was publicly demonstrated at the [[International Amateur Open|1998 ZAP International Amateur Open]] in Pennsylvania, where Air Star representative Bruce Gillette introduced the design.[4]

Contemporary reporting by [[WARPIG]] described the marker's unusual pneumatic operating system and noted that National Paintball Supply would handle its distribution. The Nova 700 was expected to retail for approximately US$400.[4]

Although [[VintageRex]] lists 1997 as the Nova 700's model year, contemporary tournament reporting documents its introduction in 1998.[4][5]