Insider Brief
- Impulse Space has been selected by SpaceWERX, sponsored by the U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command’s Space Safari Office, for a Strategic Funding Increase award valued at $60 million.
- This funding, sourced from government funds, matching Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funds, and private investments, will support the development of Impulse Space’s high-performance kick stage, Helios.
- Under the STRATFI award, Impulse Space will advance Helios through critical milestones, including comprehensive stage-level testing, qualification, final assembly, and a demonstration flight to deploy a Department of Defense (DoD) payload.
Impulse Space announced it has been selected by SpaceWERX, sponsored by the U.S. Space Force (USSF) Space Systems Command’s (SSC) Space Safari Office, for a Strategic Funding Increase (STRATFI) award valued at $60 million. This funding, sourced from government funds, matching Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funds, and private investments, will support the development of Impulse Space’s high-performance kick stage, Helios. The project aims to address key challenges in geosynchronous equatorial orbit (GEO) for the Department of the Air Force (DAF).
The Helios kick stage can transport over 5 tons from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to GEO within a day. It enables responsive delivery to high-energy orbits, such as Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), GEO, and cislunar space. Helios is compatible with most medium-lift launch vehicles and can support both primary and rideshare-class payloads. Combined with commercial launch services, Helios offers rapid and cost-effective access to destinations beyond LEO. Through the STRATFI award, Helios will support mission areas including space access, mobility, and logistics.
Tom Mueller, Impulse Space CEO and founder noted, “Unlocking responsive missions across all orbits is an important component of building a successful in-space operations program, and we’re proud to be part of that journey for the U.S. government. Helios’ ability to open access to high-energy orbits like GEO, with availability when needed or requested, is not only a valuable commercial service but can also help enable a strong national defense posture in space.”
This award builds on Impulse Space’s momentum in the government sector following its selection for two SBIR Phase II contracts through the 2023 SpaceWERX Tactically Responsive Space Challenge. Under the STRATFI award, Impulse Space will advance Helios through critical milestones, including comprehensive stage-level testing, qualification, final assembly, and a demonstration flight to deploy a Department of Defense (DoD) payload.
Image credit: Impulse Space
