Impulse Space, a leader in the development of in-space transportation services, has signed a contract with SpaceX for three Falcon 9 rocket launches that will support the ongoing development and deployment of Impulse’s vehicles Helios and Mira.
The first of these missions will be the inaugural launch of Helios and is targeted for mid-2026. Prior to launch, Helios will be fueled with up to 14 tons of liquid methane and liquid oxygen while integrated into Falcon 9 in Florida. Falcon 9’s second stage will deploy Helios and its payloads in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), and Helios will transport those payloads to both Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) and Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO). This mission will deliver a Mira vehicle to GTO as part of the VICTUS SURGO mission. The subsequent launches will also feature Helios, with payloads to be determined at a later date.
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“Securing these launches allows us to showcase the full potential of Helios,” said Eric Romo, President and COO of Impulse Space. “Delivering spacecraft to high energy orbits rapidly and economically changes the equation for commercial communication operators and national security missions like VICTUS SURGO.”
“We’re honored Impulse Space selected Falcon 9 to launch these exciting missions,” said SpaceX Vice President of Commercial Sales Stephanie Bednarek. “We share Impulse’s goal of making space more accessible for those looking for a ride to orbit, and we look forward to working with their team once again.”
Impulse Space, the in-space transportation company founded by Tom Mueller, is opening access beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with its fleet of in-space transportation vehicles. The flight-proven Mira vehicle uses a nontoxic, high-impulse chemical propulsion system to offer orbital transport, constellation deployment, and precision reentry services to customers from LEO to GEO. The high-energy Helios vehicle unlocks orbits beyond LEO with its powerful Deneb engine, dropping off payloads in MEO, GEO, heliocentric, lunar, and other planetary orbits.
SOURCE: Businesswire