Helios is powered by a liquid-oxygen, liquid-methane engine named Deneb that produces 6,804 kg-force of thrust.
Each contracted Falcon 9 launch will carry Impulse Space’s Helios transfer vehicle, a high-energy kick stage introduced by Impulse Space in January 2024.
The first Helios launch is planned for mid-2026 and will be the first flight of the Helios transfer vehicle.
Impulse Space signed a contract with SpaceX on 2024-11-14 for the Falcon 9 launches carrying Helios.
Impulse Space raised $150,000,000 in a Series B funding round on 2024-10-01 to support work on both Helios and Mira.
Impulse Space purchased three Falcon 9 launches from SpaceX for its Helios transfer vehicle for missions starting in 2026, including one mission for the U.S. Space Force.
Helios is designed to deliver large payloads from LEO to GEO within 24 hours.
Impulse Space unveiled a larger vehicle called Helios designed to serve as a transfer stage to transport satellites from low Earth orbit to geostationary orbit in less than a day.
Helios’ high delta-v capability is intended to support missions such as insertion of GPS satellites into MEO, transferring telecom satellites from LEO to GEO, and placing scientific satellites into solar orbits.
Helios is designed to carry payloads of over 5,000 kg from Low Earth Orbit to Geostationary Orbit in less than 24 hours using a medium-lift launch vehicle.
Helios is powered by a new 15,000 lbf (67 kN) engine named Deneb.
Helios is intended to reduce the cost of accessing MEO, GEO, and beyond by many tens of millions of dollars when paired with affordable launches to LEO.
Helios is designed to use a medium-lift launch vehicle to carry payloads of over 5,000 kg directly from low Earth orbit to geostationary orbit in less than 24 hours.
Helios is powered by a new 15,000 lbf (67 kN) engine named Deneb.
Helios’ ability to reach geostationary orbit in hours rather than weeks or months enables satellites to enter service faster while reducing radiation exposure and payload mass.
The Helios stage will be powered by an engine called Deneb that produces 6,804 kg-force of thrust.
Paired with affordable launches to Low Earth Orbit, Helios is intended to reduce the cost of accessing Medium Earth Orbit, Geostationary Orbit, and beyond by many tens of millions of dollars.
Helios is designed to serve as an additional stage for SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and is sized to max out the capability of a Falcon 9 for transporting satellites to GEO in less than 24 hours.
Helios can serve as a transfer stage for transporting satellites weighing up to about 5,000 kg from low Earth orbit to geostationary orbit in less than a day.
Impulse Space is working on a Series B funding round to support development of Helios and the Mira business.