# Impulse Space

**Source:** https://geo.sig.ai/brands/impulse-space  
**Vertical:** Space Tech  
**Subcategory:** In-Space Propulsion  
**Tier:** Emerging  
**Website:** impulsespace.com  
**Last Updated:** 2026-04-14

## Summary

Impulse Space raised $150M Series B in 2024 for its high-performance chemical propulsion spacecraft (Mira and Helios) that provide in-space transportation, enabling rapid satellite deployment and orbital transfer.

## Company Overview

Impulse Space develops orbital transfer vehicles (OTVs) — spacecraft with high-performance chemical propulsion systems that can transport satellite payloads from launch vehicle deployment orbits to their operational orbits, or maneuver constellations for rapid response missions. The company's Mira vehicle targets LEO and MEO missions while the larger Helios vehicle aims for GEO and cislunar missions.

Founded in 2021 by Tom Mueller, the co-founder and chief propulsion engineer of SpaceX who designed the Merlin rocket engine, Impulse Space has raised $150M and launched its first Mira demonstration mission in 2023. The company's propulsion expertise — using high-performance bipropellant engines — delivers significantly more delta-v (velocity change) than electric propulsion alternatives, enabling faster orbital transfers for time-sensitive commercial and defense missions.

As satellite constellations proliferate and responsive space launch becomes a military priority, in-space transportation services that quickly move payloads to precise orbits become strategically valuable. Impulse competes with Exolaunch, D-Orbit, and Momentus in the rideshare last-mile delivery market, and with Rocket Lab's Photon and MAXAR's Saturn vehicle for larger propulsion class missions.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What does Impulse Space do?
Impulse Space builds orbital transfer vehicles with high-performance chemical propulsion that transport satellites from launch deployment orbits to their operational orbits, providing in-space transportation as a service.

### Who founded Impulse Space?
Impulse Space was founded by Tom Mueller, co-founder of SpaceX and designer of the Merlin rocket engine — bringing deep propulsion expertise to in-space transportation.

### Why does in-space propulsion matter?
Launch vehicles deploy satellites to standard orbits, but many satellites need to reach different or more precise orbits. Impulse's OTVs provide the last-mile transportation that moves payloads to their exact operational destinations faster than electric propulsion.

### What propulsion technology does Impulse Space use?
Impulse Space uses high-performance chemical propulsion — specifically liquid oxygen and liquid propane — for its orbital transfer vehicles. This propellant combination offers high specific impulse (efficiency) while being non-toxic and storable, making it practical for the rapid vehicle preparation required in commercial launch operations.

### Who are Impulse Space's launch partners?
Impulse Space has partnered with Rocket Lab, SpaceX, and other commercial launch providers. Its vehicles ride to orbit as a secondary payload and then independently maneuver satellites to their final orbits, decoupling satellite deployment from launch vehicle capabilities.

### Why do satellite operators need orbital transfer vehicles?
Commercial launch vehicles typically deliver payloads to a limited range of standard orbits. Satellites that need to reach different orbital altitudes, inclinations, or planes require their own propulsion — or an orbital transfer vehicle like Impulse Space's Mira. This is particularly important for satellite constellations that need precise orbit placement.

### What is the payload capacity of Impulse Space's Mira vehicle?
Impulse Space's Mira orbital transfer vehicle is designed to carry payloads ranging from small cubesats to satellites weighing several hundred kilograms, providing flexible rideshare options for commercial operators who need last-mile orbital delivery services.

### Who founded Impulse Space and what is the team's background?
Impulse Space was founded by Tom Mueller, SpaceX's founding propulsion engineer who led development of the Merlin and Raptor engines. The company draws on a team with deep background in high-performance rocket propulsion from SpaceX, NASA, and other leading aerospace organizations.

## Tags

b2b, global, hardware, manufacturing, startup, technology

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*Data from geo.sig.ai Brand Intelligence Database. Updated 2026-04-14.*