The brief

Analyst view

• Impulse leads in-space logistics after SpaceX engineer Tom Mueller founded it in 2021.
• Mira has flown three times since Nov 2023. Helios is ready for 2026 GEO transfer missions.
• Series D ($500M, Apr 2026) values the company at $4.26B; building Mars landers with Relativity.

Technical approach

As reported

Mira

Small orbital transfer vehicle, fueled mass ~300 kg

Mira carries payloads up to 300 kg to higher orbits or escape. Uses Saiph thrusters (5 lbf, NOx/ethane), launched as secondary payload on SpaceX rideshare.

Helios

Heavy-lift orbital kick stage for GEO transfers

Helios propels 4–5 ton payloads from LEO to geostationary transfer orbit in under a day. It uses larger engines and is launched on dedicated Falcon 9 flights.

Propulsion

Three engines across the fleet

Saiph (5 lbf thruster, NOx/ethane), Rigel (Mars lander engine), and Deneb (67 kN, LOx/methane) cover the range from small orbital tugs to deep-space missions.

Vertical integration

In-house design and manufacturing

Impulse designs, builds and tests vehicles at 60,000 sq ft in Redondo Beach, CA, with a second site in Boulder, CO.

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