Impulse Space Raises $500M for In-Space Mobility

Impulse Space has raised $500 million in a Series D funding round co-led by 137 Ventures and BANNER VC, bringing the company's total funding to more than $1 billion. Additional participants in the round included Founders Fund, Lux Capital, and Linse Capital.

The company said the new capital will be used to expand its workforce and manufacturing capacity as demand for in-space transportation services grows across commercial, civil, and government markets.

Founded by Thomas Mueller, Impulse Space develops spacecraft and propulsion systems designed to move payloads after launch.

The company argues that while launch services have become increasingly accessible, spacecraft mobility once in orbit remains a limiting factor for many missions.

Its current fleet includes Mira, a spacecraft designed for orbital maneuvering and in-space operations, and Helios, a high-energy transfer vehicle scheduled for its first flight in 2027. Impulse is also developing Caravan, a rideshare offering intended to provide lower-cost access to higher-energy destinations such as geostationary orbit.

Supporting these vehicles is a family of propulsion systems, including Saiph, Deneb, and Rigel, which are designed for mission profiles ranging from orbital repositioning to long-distance transport and throttleable applications.

Commenting on the funding round, CEO Tom Mueller said the company is focused on building the infrastructure needed to enable more efficient movement of spacecraft throughout the space environment. He described in-space mobility as a foundational capability for future operations extending from Earth orbit to the Moon and beyond.

Investors also highlighted the growing importance of orbital transportation. Justin Fishner-Wolfson, Managing Partner at 137 Ventures, said the firm views in-space mobility as a key enabler of the next phase of the space economy.

Adam Ramada, Managing Partner at BANNER VC, similarly described mobility services as a foundational layer of infrastructure as activity in orbit continues to increase.

Impulse Space stated that it has completed three missions to date and secured hundreds of millions of dollars in customer contracts.

The company has more than doubled its headcount over the past year and plans to continue hiring across engineering, manufacturing, autonomy, mission operations, and spacecraft systems.

Image Credits: Impulse Space