Impulse Space announced its selection by SpaceWERX, sponsored by U.S. Space Force (USSF) Space Systems Command’s (SSC) Space Safari Office, for a Strategic Funding Increase (STRATFI) award with the value of $60M between government funds, matching Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funds, and private funds.
The work will focus on the company’s high-performance kick stage, Helios, to address pressing challenges in geosynchronous equatorial orbit (GEO) for the Department of the Air Force (DAF). This award builds on Impulse’s momentum in the government sector, having previously been selected in January for two SBIR Phase II contracts via the 2023 SpaceWERX Tactically Responsive Space Challenge.
Capable of taking more than 5 tons from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to GEO in less than a day, Helios will enable responsive delivery capabilities to high-energy orbits like 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 a commercial launch service, Helios offers an unparalleled combination of rapid and affordable access to destinations beyond LEO. Through the STRATFI award, Helios is intended to support mission areas including space access, mobility, and logistics.
SpaceWERX, the innovation arm of the USSF and a unique division within AFWERX, and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) have partnered to streamline the SBIR and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) process by accelerating the small business experience through faster proposal to award timelines, changing the pool of potential applicants by expanding opportunities to small business and eliminating bureaucratic overhead by continually implementing process improvement changes in contract execution. With this award, Impulse will continue its journey to create and provide innovative capabilities that will strengthen the national defense of the United States of America.
“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,” said Impulse Space CEO and founder Tom Mueller. “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.”
Under the SpaceWERX STRATFI award, Impulse will advance the development of Helios through several critical milestones. These include comprehensive stage-level testing, qualification, final assembly, and the launch of its first demonstration flight to deploy a Department of Defense (DoD) payload. The views expressed are those of the authors and do not reflect the official guidance or position of the United States Government, the Department of Defense, the United States Air Force, or the United States Space Force.
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