Impulse Space, a startup founded by SpaceX engine guru Tom Mueller to build highly maneuverable spacecraft, announced a $500 million Series D led by 137 Ventures and BANNER VC, with participation from Founders Fund, Lux Capital, and Linse Capital. The company plans to hire up to 200 new employees to build and test more space vehicles amid high demand for aerospace talent.
In-Space Mobility Focus And Products
Impulse is focused on in-space mobility and has developed Mira, a highly maneuverable platform targeted at U.S. Space Force buyers. It is also building Helios, a vehicle designed to carry satellites rapidly to high orbits after they are deployed closer to Earth.
AI Limitations In Hardware Design
President and COO Eric Romo said AI coding tools are being adopted for software teams, but deep learning models aren’t ready for real-world engineering problems. He noted simulations have improved but there’s no substitute for designing, analyzing, building, and testing hardware, and AI tools for hardware design may arrive slower due to scarce training data compared to text and code available online.
Talent Strategy And Geographic Expansion
The company opened an office in Colorado because aerospace talent now has more options beyond Los Angeles, including Seattle, Denver, and Texas. Impulse started with propulsion and evolved to build spacecraft, requiring added expertise in vehicle structures and flight computers.
Next Mira Launch After Navigation Incident
Impulse’s Mira spacecraft made its third flight late last year, but a navigation system problem caused it to expend much propellant early. The company is prepping a new Mira mission expected to launch before the end of the year.
Featured image credits: Magnific.com
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