Impulse Space
Impulse Space is developing in-space transportation services using orbital transfer vehicles to deliver satellites from rideshare drop-off orbits to their final destinations.
- Founded
- 2021
- Headquarters
- Redondo Beach, United States
- Stage
- Growth
- Ownership
- Private
- Total raised
- $1B+
- Last valuation
- $400M+
- Employees
- 150+
- Last round
- Series D · $499.8M2026-04
- Investors
- 4
Quick Facts
About Impulse Space
Impulse Space is developing in-space transportation services using orbital transfer vehicles to deliver satellites from rideshare drop-off orbits to their final destinations. Founded in 2021 by Tom Mueller, SpaceX employee number one and principal engineer of the Merlin and Draco engines, Impulse Space provides last-mile delivery in space.
The Mira orbital transfer vehicle completed its inaugural LEO Express-1 mission in 2024 after launching on SpaceX Transporter-9 in November 2023. Over seven months, Mira achieved the two largest orbital maneuvers ever made by a nitrous-based system, including a 150-kilometer orbit raise in 75 seconds, the largest single orbit raise ever by an OTV on its debut mission.
In August 2024, Impulse Space announced a GEO Rideshare Program and upgraded Mira design enabling operations in geostationary and other high-energy orbits. The Helios kick stage provides small satellite access to GEO, while the enhanced Mira delivers high delta-v capability for missions requiring rapid repositioning. The updated Mira design launches in late 2025.
Mira launched on LEO Express-2 aboard SpaceX Transporter-12, completing Final Mission Readiness Review in December 2024. The approximately 300-kg vehicle uses Saiph bipropellant thrusters with 290-second specific impulse, delivering 500-900 m/s delta-v depending on payload mass. Impulse Space partnered with Anduril Industries to integrate Mira for national security missions. The company continues expanding in-space transportation services for commercial and government customers.
Products and product lines
| Product | Line | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Mira | Orbital transfer vehicle | ~300 kg orbital transfer vehicle using Saiph bipropellant thrusters (290s specific impulse); flew LEO Express-1 (Nov 2023) and LEO Express-2 (Jan 2025), with an upgraded design supporting GEO-class delta-v. |
| Helios | Kick stage | LOX/methane kick stage designed to move over 5 tons from LEO to GEO in under 24 hours using the Deneb engine; a Space Force NSSL Lane 1 contract announced July 2026 targets a first flight in 2027. |
| Deneb | Engine (kick stage) | 15,000 lbf (67 kN) LOX/methane staged-combustion engine that powers Helios. |
| Saiph | Engine (thruster) | Bipropellant thruster used on Mira, qualified ahead of first flight in May 2023. |
| Electra | Electric propulsion system | Impulse's first electric-propulsion system, developed in under six months, for long-duration Mira stationkeeping; set to debut on the GEO Express 1 (Caravan 1) mission in 2027. |
Timeline
- 2024 Impulse unveils full design specifications for Helios on January 17, including the 15,000-lbf Deneb engine and a capacity to move over 5 tons from LEO to GEO in under 24 hours. [source]
- 2024 Impulse raises a $150 million Series B led by Founders Fund on October 1, bringing total funding to $225 million to fund Helios and Mira production. [source]
- 2025 Impulse raises a $300 million Series C led by Linse Capital on June 3, bringing total funding to $525 million against more than 30 commercial and government contracts worth roughly $200 million. [source]
- 2025 Anduril and Impulse expand their partnership on September 16 for an internally funded GEO rendezvous-and-proximity-operations demonstration pairing Anduril sensor payloads with Mira and Helios, targeted for 2026. [source]
- 2026 Impulse raises a $500 million Series D led by 137 Ventures and Banner VC on June 3, pushing total funding past $1 billion to expand hiring and manufacturing capacity. [source]
- 2026 Impulse is awarded a Space Force NSSL Phase 3 Lane 1 IDIQ contract on July 8, becoming the program's first-ever upper-stage prime contractor, with Helios targeting a 2027 first flight. [source]
- 2026 Impulse introduces Electra, its first electric-propulsion system, on July 28, developed in under six months for long-duration Mira stationkeeping. [source]
- 2026 Space Systems Command awards Impulse a $28 million SBIR Phase III contract extension on August 13 covering the VICTUS SALO 2 and 3 tactically-responsive space missions using Mira. [source]
Funding history
4 events · $1B+ raised| Date | Round | Amount | Investors | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-08 | Series D | $499.8M | 137 VenturesBanner VCSeries D of $500 million led by 137 Ventures and Banner VC (announced 3 June 2026); Form D reports $499.8 million sold. | sec.gov |
| 2025-05-09 | Series C | $294.5M | Linse CapitalSeries C of $300 million led by Linse Capital (announced 3 June 2025); Form D reports $294.5 million sold. | sec.gov |
| 2024-10-01 | Series B | $150M | Founders FundSeries B of $150 million led by Founders Fund, 1 October 2024. | impulsespace.com |
| 2023-07-21 | Undisclosed round | $38.7M | —Form D filed 2023-08-03 by Impulse Space, Inc.: $38.7M sold of a $45.0M offering (first sale 2023-07-21). | sec.gov |
Investors
From the sourced rounds above. Investors with two or more deals in the directory link to a portfolio page.
Team
- Tom MuellerCEO · source
Signals
- Verification
- Verified 2026-09-09
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Frequently asked about Impulse Space
Quick answers to the questions readers most often search for.
- When was Impulse Space founded?
- Impulse Space was founded in 2021 in United States.
- Where is Impulse Space headquartered?
- Impulse Space is headquartered in Redondo Beach, United States.
- What does Impulse Space do?
- Impulse Space is developing in-space transportation services using orbital transfer vehicles to deliver satellites from rideshare drop-off orbits to their final destinations. Founded in 2021 by Tom Mueller, SpaceX employee number one and principal engineer of the Merlin and Draco engines, Impulse Space provides last-mi…
- Is Impulse Space a public or private company?
- Impulse Space is a privately held company and is not listed on any stock exchange.
- What sector does Impulse Space operate in?
- Impulse Space works in in space services and Propulsion.
Sources
The structured fields on this page (founding year, location, sector, status, listing) and the profile text are drawn from the sources below. How profiles are drafted and checked is described in our methodology.
- Official website (impulsespace.com)
- SEC Form D · retrieved 2026-09-04
- SEC Form D · retrieved 2026-09-04
- SEC Form D · retrieved 2026-09-04
- Wikidata / Wikipedia · retrieved 2026-09-04
- Impulse Space: Impulse Space Unveils Design Specifications for New High Performance Kick Stage, Helios (Jan 17, 2024) · retrieved 2026-09-09
- Impulse Space: Impulse Space Secures $150M in Series B Funding (Oct 1, 2024) · retrieved 2026-09-09
- Impulse Space: Impulse Space Secures $300 Million Series C (Jun 3, 2025) · retrieved 2026-09-09
- Impulse Space: Anduril and Impulse Space Expand Partnership to Conduct RPO Mission Demonstration in GEO (Sep 16, 2025) · retrieved 2026-09-09
- Impulse Space: Impulse Space Raises $500M Series D (Jun 3, 2026) · retrieved 2026-09-09
- Impulse Space: Impulse Space Awarded NSSL Lane 1 Contract as First-Ever Upper Stage Prime (Jul 8, 2026) · retrieved 2026-09-09
- Impulse Space: Introducing Electra: Expanding Mission Possibilities with Electric Propulsion (Jul 28, 2026) · retrieved 2026-09-09
- Impulse Space: Impulse Space Selected by Space Systems Command to Support Additional VICTUS SALO Missions (Aug 13, 2026) · retrieved 2026-09-09
Data Accuracy Notice: Information about Impulse Space is compiled from publicly available sources including company websites, press releases, regulatory filings, and industry reports. Data is reviewed periodically but may not reflect the most recent developments.