Impulse Space, a California-based firm specializing in in-space transportation, has formally announced its strategic plan to initiate lunar cargo missions beginning in 2028. The company intends to deploy a new lander architecture capable of placing substantial mass directly onto the Moon's surface, aiming to fill a recognized gap in logistics for sustained lunar presence.
This new capability centers on an integrated system combining the company's Helios transfer vehicle with a dedicated lunar lander. The Helios stage, which is currently in development with a first flight anticipated late next year, will be responsible for transporting the lander from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to Low Lunar Orbit over an approximate one-week transit. The lander itself is engineered for a significant delivery capacity of up to three metric tons per mission. This capacity is specifically designed to address the cargo delivery spectrum between 0.5 and 13 tons, an area noted by NASA researchers as a substantial architectural gap.
Tom Mueller, founder and CEO of Impulse Space, emphasized the necessity of this service, stating that the lack of mid-sized delivery options currently impedes the establishment of foundational lunar infrastructure, such as rovers, power generators, and habitation modules. By focusing on this niche, Impulse Space aims to provide a "cost-effective price point" for these essential deliveries, which is viewed as paramount for widespread market adoption. The company envisions an ambitious operational tempo, planning for up to two such missions annually starting in 2028.
The development leverages existing technological momentum within the company. The engine for the new lunar lander will share commonality with the Saiph thrusters used on Impulse's Mira spacecraft, utilizing the same storable propellants: nitrous oxide and ethane. This component reuse strategy suggests a streamlined development pathway for bringing the capability online quickly. Furthermore, the Helios vehicle already has secured contracts for three Falcon 9 launches to support its development and deployment to higher-energy orbits, such as Geosynchronous Orbit (GEO).