{"id":23688,"date":"2025-10-15T00:47:16","date_gmt":"2025-10-14T16:47:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/impulse-space-sets-sights-on-the-moon-with-new-lunar-lander-in-development\/"},"modified":"2026-07-21T12:46:51","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T04:46:51","slug":"impulse-space-sets-sights-on-the-moon-with-new-lunar-lander-in-development","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/impulse-space-sets-sights-on-the-moon-with-new-lunar-lander-in-development\/","title":{"rendered":"Impulse Space sets sights on the Moon with new Lunar Lander in development"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Impulse Space, the innovative startup founded by SpaceX veteran Tom Mueller, has unveiled plans for a new lunar lander designed to deliver up to three tonnes of payload to the Moon\u2019s surface. The announcement highlights the company\u2019s ambition to fill a \u201ccritical gap\u201d in lunar cargo capabilities, positioning it as a key player in the growing commercial space race.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Impulse Announce New Moon Lander! Can it Crush the Competition?\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/70s2IR4e5hQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\" name=\"fitvid0\" data-gtm-yt-inspected-14=\"true\" data-gtm-yt-inspected-21=\"true\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Mueller, renowned as the architect behind SpaceX\u2019s Merlin engine, established Impulse Space to tackle mobility challenges in space.<\/p>\n<p>The company has already made waves with its Mira spacecraft, which has completed two missions and is undergoing upgrades, and its upcoming Helios kick stage. Helios, set to debut no earlier than late 2026, is a launcher-agnostic system capable of lofting over four tonnes to geostationary orbit (GEO), promising faster and more affordable payload deliveries.<br \/>\n<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-109858\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/NSF-2025-10-14-12-44-19-054.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2295\" height=\"1282\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/NSF-2025-10-14-12-44-19-054.jpg 2295w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/NSF-2025-10-14-12-44-19-054-350x196.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/NSF-2025-10-14-12-44-19-054-627x350.jpg 627w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/NSF-2025-10-14-12-44-19-054-768x429.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/NSF-2025-10-14-12-44-19-054-1920x1073.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/NSF-2025-10-14-12-44-19-054-1170x654.jpg 1170w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2295px) 100vw, 2295px\">Now, Impulse is extending its expertise to the Moon, developing the lander entirely in-house to address unmet needs in the half-tonne to 13-tonne payload range.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s a critical gap in lunar cargo delivery capabilities,\u201d Mueller stated, emphasizing the limitations of NASA\u2019s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program for smaller deliveries and the ongoing development delays for larger human landing systems.<\/p>\n<p>The new lander slots into a competitive landscape of lunar vehicles. This ranges through to the super-sized Starship Human Landing System, which aims for a massive 100 tonnes, while Blue Origin\u2019s Blue Moon Mark 2 targets 30 tonnes in its one-way configuration. Its predecessor, Blue Moon Mark 1, matches Impulse\u2019s capacity at three tonnes.<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-109860\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/NSF-2025-10-14-12-45-30-469.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2295\" height=\"1282\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/NSF-2025-10-14-12-45-30-469.jpg 2295w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/NSF-2025-10-14-12-45-30-469-350x196.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/NSF-2025-10-14-12-45-30-469-627x350.jpg 627w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/NSF-2025-10-14-12-45-30-469-768x429.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/NSF-2025-10-14-12-45-30-469-1920x1073.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/NSF-2025-10-14-12-45-30-469-1170x654.jpg 1170w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2295px) 100vw, 2295px\">On the lighter end, Firefly\u2019s Blue Ghost is designed for 240 kilograms, and Astrobotic\u2019s Griffin for 625 kilograms. This diversity underscores varying demands for lunar access, with Impulse directly challenging Blue Moon Mark 1 by offering a near-term, multi-tonne solution.<\/p>\n<p>A key advantage of Impulse\u2019s design is its integration with existing technology. The lander will hitch a ride on Helios, which handles the journey from low Earth orbit through trans-lunar injection to lunar orbit\u2014eliminating the need for a new transfer stage.<\/p>\n<p>Notably, the system avoids in-space refueling, a complex requirement for some competitors, and shares similarities with Blue Origin\u2019s Mark 1 in this regard.<\/p>\n<p>     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/p>\n<p>Propulsion remains at the heart of the project, leveraging Mueller\u2019s expertise. The lander\u2019s unnamed engine will use the same nitrous oxide and ethane bipropellant as Mira\u2019s Saiph thrusters, which have proven reliable across two flights.<\/p>\n<p>This choice offers a safer, less toxic alternative to hypergolic fuels, reducing risks for ground teams and eliminating boil-off concerns associated with cryogenics like liquid oxygen, methane, or hydrogen.<\/p>\n<p>Flexibility is another selling point: As Helios is compatible with multiple launch vehicles\u2014including Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, Starship, New Glenn, Vulcan, Eclipse, Ariane 6, and H3\u2014the lander inherits this agnostic approach, broadening its accessibility.<\/p>\n<p>Impulse is eyeing 2028 for the lander\u2019s first missions, with plans for two landings that year, potentially delivering a combined six tonnes to the lunar surface. This timeline hinges on Helios\u2019s successful rollout, which Mueller predicts will involve \u201cmultiple missions per year\u201d by then.<\/p>\n<p>The company\u2019s track record of rapid, reliable spacecraft development positions it well to meet these goals, but as with any space endeavor, challenges remain.<\/p>\n<p><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-1\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" class=\"\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=NASASpaceflight&amp;dnt=true&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-1&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1978097323587547232&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nasaspaceflight.com%2F2025%2F10%2Fimpulse-space-lunar-lander-development%2F&amp;sessionId=d07788aaed4f8c7afd99aad2c99456ae9647666c&amp;siteScreenName=NASASpaceflight&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px\" data-gtm-yt-inspected-14=\"true\" data-gtm-yt-inspected-21=\"true\" data-tweet-id=\"1978097323587547232\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\" data-twitter-extracted-i1783493295575354727=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Today, we\u2019re unveiling our&nbsp;proposed lunar mission architecture to deliver more mass to the Moon, in the near term.&nbsp; <\/p>\n<p>By pairing our Helios kick stage with a new, Impulse-built lunar lander, we\u2019re taking the next step toward mobilizing space, and enabling sustained lunar\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/tq7n1yGyIw<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Impulse Space (@GoToImpulse) October 14, 2025<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>As the lunar economy heats up, Impulse\u2019s entry could democratize access to the Moon, enabling more diverse payloads for scientific, commercial, and exploratory missions. Whether they hit their 2028 target will be a story to watch in the coming years.<\/p>\n<p><em>(Lead image: Impulse Space\u2019s lunar lander. Credit: Impulse Space)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Impulse Space, the innovative startup founded by SpaceX veteran Tom Mueller, has unveiled plans for a new lunar lander designed to deliver up to three tonnes of payload to the Moon\u2019s surface. The announcement highlights the company\u2019s ambition to fill a \u201ccritical gap\u201d in lunar cargo capabilities, positioning it as a key player in the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":35480,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[322,7992,625],"class_list":["post-23688","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-clps","tag-impluse-space","tag-moon"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23688"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23688"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23688\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32705,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23688\/revisions\/32705"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35480"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23688"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23688"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23688"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}