Heavy-lift orbital kick stage moving 4–5 tons from LEO to geostationary transfer orbit in under a day. Launched on dedicated Falcon 9 for commercial and government GEO missions.
First flight (Victus Surgo, on Falcon 9) has slipped to no earlier than H1 2027; SES signed for 2027 GEO transfer missions.
Updated May 2025Checked 11 Oct0 updates this week
Helios and its payload launch on a dedicated Falcon 9, reaching low Earth orbit with full fuel load.
Helios fires its main engines to accelerate the payload to GEO transfer orbit, achieving the mission in under a day.
The customer satellite separates and assumes its own orbit; Helios may perform further transfers for rideshare payloads.
| Spec | Helios |
|---|---|
| Payload capacity (LEO-GEO) | 4–5 tonsR (reported) |
| LEO-GEO transfer time | Under 24 hoursR (reported) |
| Launch vehicle | SpaceX Falcon 9 (dedicated)R (reported) |
| Falcon 9 flights reserved | 3R (reported) |
R reported by the company
Impulse Space
Orbital transfer vehicles, Mira, Helios, in-space mobility
Impulse Space develops orbital transfer vehicles (space tugs) that move satellites between orbits after launch. Founded by SpaceX engineer Tom Mueller, the company builds Mira for small payloads and Helios for heavy GEO transfers, with a Mars lander program under way with Relativity Space.
