The contract for Impulse’s Helios vehicle provides an on-ramp to the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 1 program, creating cost-effective assured access to high-energy orbits for national security assets.
Redondo Beach, California – July 8, 2026 – Impulse Space, the in-space mobility leader, today announced it has been awarded a Firm Fixed-Price (FFP), Indefinite-Delivery Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) NSSL Phase 3 Lane 1 contract by the United States Space Force’s Space Systems Command. The award provides an on-ramp for Impulse to become a launch services provider, via the Helios upper stage, for the U.S. Space Force.
The NSSL Phase 3 Lane 1 contract enables commercial-like launch services for more risk-tolerant missions. After completing an initial capabilities assessment and developing a tailored mission assurance approach, Impulse will join a pool of vendors eligible to bid for future launch contracts for national security missions.
The contract is awarded for Impulse’s Helios vehicle — a high-energy upper stage that transports payloads from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to high-energy orbits like Geosynchronous Orbit (GEO) in less than one day — in partnership with a medium-lift launch vehicle provider. Historically, NSSL prime contractors have been rocket launch providers; Impulse is the first upper-stage provider to serve as a prime in the program.
“This award is a big validation of the capabilities we’re delivering at Impulse, and we’re honored to support national security objectives for our country,” said Eric Romo, President and COO of Impulse Space. “Pairing Helios with a standard medium-lift launch vehicle offers a more operationally flexible and cost-effective path to high-energy orbits than other solutions. We look forward to providing a new option for assured access to space for the Space Force.”
As part of the award, Impulse will receive a $5 million FFP Task Order for the initial phases of on-ramping. Helios is currently advancing through development milestones ahead of its first launch in 2027.
About Impulse Space:
Impulse Space, the in-space mobility leader, is accelerating our future beyond Earth beginning with its fleet of cost-effective, high-performance space vehicles: Helios and Mira. The Helios kick stage unlocks high-energy orbits with its powerful Deneb engine, rapidly transporting payloads from LEO to MEO, GEO, heliocentric, lunar, and other planetary orbits. The flight-proven Mira enables precise maneuverability and rapid responsiveness for hosting, deployment, and rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) across any orbit. Founded by Tom Mueller and led by a team of industry titans, Impulse Space is transforming in-space mobility by reliably and rapidly getting customers where they want to go. And they're just getting started. For more information, visit www.impulsespace.com.
