Impulse Space secures $45 million to support vehicle development, production
Developer of in-space transportation vehicles using CFRP tanks raises capital investment from Raytheon Technologies (RTX) Ventures.
Photo Credit: Impulse Space
(Redondo Beach, Calif., U.S.), a developer of in-space transportation services and vehicles for the inner solar system, announced it raised $45 million in Series A funding, led by , the venture capital arm of Raytheon Technologies (RTX, Arlington, Va., U.S.).
“With the support from RTX Ventures, Impulse Space continues on the path toward its mission to provide agile, economic logistics services in any orbit,” says Impulse Space founder and CEO Tom Mueller. “It speaks volumes that a leading investment firm is confident in the future of Impulse Space and its trailblazing technology.”
With an oversubscribed funding round, Impulse Space will be continuing its progress with its work in upcoming missions, such as LEO Express-1, a geostationary equatorial orbit (GEO) refueling mission and the upcoming mission to Mars. Specifically, this funding will support the development of Impulse’s largest vehicle yet, called Helios. The Helios kick stage enables direct to GEO missions, thus bypassing the need for a geostationary transfer orbit.
“RTX Ventures invests in companies that we believe provide breakthrough technologies that disrupt aerospace, defense and commercial aviation sectors,” says president and managing director Daniel Ateya at RTX Ventures. “Our investment will help Impulse Space accelerate their growth and fuel innovation within the space economy.”
The Series A funding round also included other participant investors, such as Founders Fund, Lux Capital, Airbus Ventures and Space Capital.
Related Content
-
Bladder-assisted compression molding derivative produces complex, autoclave-quality automotive parts
HP Composites’ AirPower technology enables high-rate CFRP roof production with 50% energy savings for the Maserati MC20.
-
Plant tour: Teijin Carbon America Inc., Greenwood, S.C., U.S.
In 2018, Teijin broke ground on a facility that is reportedly the largest capacity carbon fiber line currently in existence. The line has been fully functional for nearly two years and has plenty of room for expansion.
-
Composites end markets: New space (2025)
Composite materials — with their unmatched strength-to-weight ratio, durability in extreme environments and design versatility — are at the heart of innovations in satellites, propulsion systems and lunar exploration vehicles, propelling the space economy toward a $1.8 trillion future.