Impulse Space’s Ambitious Moon Delivery Strategy
Impulse Space has laid out a bold trajectory for lunar logistics, proposing a system capable of delivering up to 6 tons of cargo to the Moon each year, possibly starting as early as 2028. The plan centers on pairing a new lunar lander with the company’s Helios high-energy kick stage to move payloads to the surface without requiring refueling in orbit. If realized, this architecture could fill a notable gap in the market for mid-sized surface deliveries—payloads larger than what most small landers can carry but smaller than the full-scale systems envisioned for future crewed missions.
The Core Architecture: Lander + Helios
Impulse Space argues that the two-stage approach—launching both the lander and the Helios kick stage on a standard rocket and deploying them in low Earth orbit—offers a cost-effective path to lunar surface deliveries. From there, Helios would ferry the lander to a low lunar orbit within seven days, after which the vehicles separate: the lander descends to the surface, and the kick stage remains as an orbital propulsion and support asset.
The lander itself would rely on a newly developed engine, designed to be throttleable, restartable, and efficient in the vacuum of space. The propulsion team draws on experience from SpaceX’s high-performance propulsion efforts, with Impulse Space developing engines for the lunar lander that use a fuel combination similar to Saiph thrusters used on their Mira spacecraft. This continuity underscores the company’s strategy of leveraging proven propulsion concepts while targeting a lunar environment with new mission requirements.
On the other hand, Helios is described as “well into development,” with a first flight anticipated in late 2026 and the expectation of multiple flights per year by 2028. The combination is intended to deliver payloads from roughly 0.5 to 13 tons, including rovers, habitat modules, power systems, communications gear, or lunar terrain vehicles.
Target Payloads and Market Fit
Impulse Space identifies a distinct market window: cargo that is too large for existing mid-sized landers used in NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program and too small for the larger, human-rated landers under development by SpaceX and Blue Origin. The company contends there is a persistent gap for mid-scale surface deliveries that can support early lunar infrastructure and science missions without waiting for crewed platforms.
Potential payload examples include rover platforms for exploration, habitat modules for early surface operations, power generators, comms systems, and specialized lunar terrain vehicles. By enabling more frequent, mid-size surface deliveries, Impulse Space argues it can accelerate the establishment of lunar outposts, remote sensing stations, and other essential surface infrastructure.
<h2 Timeline, Risks, and Outlook
Executions plans hinge on engineering milestones, including a throttleable, restart-capable lander engine with high specific impulse and reliable cold-start behavior in the Moon’s vacuum. While Impulse Space presents a coherent architecture, it also acknowledges substantial risks: propulsion reliability, deep-space navigation, precision landing, and cost management at scale. The company notes it stands ready to “execute as dictated by industry demand,” signaling flexibility in response to evolving lunar architecture and customer needs.
Assuming development proceeds on schedule, Helios could begin flight campaigns by late 2026, with regular missions by 2028. If successful, the Impulse Space plan would introduce a new cadence for lunar deliveries, enabling more frequent presence on the Moon’s surface and expanding the market for commercially sourced lunar cargo.
<h2—Conclusion
Impulse Space’s proposed lunar logistics solution—an integrated lander and Helios kick stage—highlights a practical path to mid-sized surface deliveries to the Moon. The plan aims to reduce dependence on larger, crewed landers while keeping a clear pipeline for rovers and infrastructure hardware. If the 2028 timeline proves achievable, the company could reshape lunar logistics and accelerate the era of sustained commercial activity on the Moon.
