Astranis and Impulse Space Sign Agreement for 2027 Mission, Direct-Inject to GEO
Mission will see Impulse’s Helios kick stage transport Astranis MicroGEO satellites from LEO to GEO in less than one day, providing fast and reliable access to the target orbital regime
REDONDO BEACH, Calif. and SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Impulse Space, the leader for in-space mobility, and Astranis, manufacturer of advanced high-orbit satellites, signed a contract today for an upcoming mission to GEO. Targeting a 2027 launch, the mission will utilize a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch to low Earth orbit (LEO), where it will deploy Impulse’s Helios kick stage. Leveraging chemical propulsion via its powerful Deneb engine, Helios will then deliver Astranis MicroGEO satellites from LEO to GEO in less than 24 hours, deploying them to their target orbital regime in geostationary orbit.
This mission will showcase the capabilities of Astranis and Impulse to rapidly deploy satellites to geostationary orbit without the use of a Heavy-class rocket, a mission profile appealing to government and commercial customers alike.
Astranis satellites provide dedicated, secure, enterprise-grade communications from GEO for customers around the world. Geostationary orbit allows a single satellite to provide 24/7 operational service, but reaching that orbit requires traversing the radiation-laden Van Allen Belts that surround the planet. Traditionally, Astranis satellites have used efficient but low thrust electric propulsion thrusters to make the orbit raise maneuver, which can take months.
By using Helios to rapidly transit between orbits, Astranis will avoid the cost and risk of a slower transit, instead arriving at the target destination in a matter of hours after launch.
“We selected Impulse’s Helios vehicle for this mission because it offers a faster, more reliable, and more cost-effective way for us to get our satellites operational and delivering service to customers,” said John Gedmark, co-founder and CEO of Astranis. “Demonstrating new methods of rapidly deploying satellites to geostationary orbit is important for both our government and commercial customers, and Impulse is the perfect partner for us in this effort.”
“This is exactly the type of mission that Helios is designed for,” said Eric Romo, President and COO of Impulse Space. “By providing rapid transport to higher energy orbits, we help operators like Astranis to begin delivering on their mission promise sooner. And with our vertically-integrated approach to design, manufacturing, and testing, we offer reliability and schedule assurance to further de-risk the mission profile.”
Astranis will be flying as the primary payload on the mission, with the potential for secondary payloads to be added later.
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 pioneers, 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
Contact:
press@impulsespace.com
About Astranis
Astranis builds advanced satellites for high orbits, expanding humanity’s reach into the solar system. Today Astranis satellites provide dedicated, secure networks to highly-sophisticated customers across the globe—large enterprises, sovereign governments, and the US military.
With five satellites on orbit and many more set to launch soon, the company is servicing a backlog of more than $1 billion of commercial contracts. Astranis is the preferred satellite communications partner for buyers with stringent requirements for uptime, data security, network visibility, and customization.
Astranis has raised over $750 million from some of the world’s best investors, from Andreessen Horowitz to Blackrock, and Fidelity, and employs a team of 450 engineers and entrepreneurs. Astranis designs, builds, and operates its satellites out of its 153,000 sq. ft. headquarters in Northern California, USA.
Contact:
contact@astranis.com
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