Impulse Space Propulsion Secures $20M in Seed Round Led by Founders Fund

New space payload delivery company founded by SpaceX founding member Tom Mueller raises capital investment from renowned firm that has backed some of the tech sector’s most successful and high-profile startups

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Impulse Space Propulsion – leading the development of in-space transportation services for the inner solar system – today announced it has secured $20 million in a seed round led by Founders Fund, the San Francisco-based venture capital firm founded by Peter Thiel whose investments have backed some of the tech sector’s most successful and high-profile startups. Capital will be used by Impulse to further its mission to provide agile, economical capabilities to access any orbit.

“This is an exciting time for both Impulse and the space industry,” says Impulse Founder and CEO Tom Mueller. “With smaller satellites and launch costs decreasing, space is more accessible than ever. There exists, however, the challenge to efficiently move payloads into higher-energy orbits. At Impulse, we don’t see this as a problem needing a solution but rather a question needing an answer. And we’ve got it.”

Launched in September 2021 by Mueller, a founding member of SpaceX, Impulse is driven by a vision to provide economical last-mile space payload delivery services spanning in-space transportation, orbital transport of satellites to optimal orbits, in-orbit servicing, space debris deorbit and space station orbit keeping. Those who share this vision include some of the industry’s best and brightest, who now make up the Impulse team. With deep industry experience—from space technologies development to business operations optimization—Impulse’s team members have developed products for organizations such as SpaceX, NASA, GE, Joe Gibbs Racing, Virgin and other notable enterprises, and have led some of the most innovative companies in the Space 2.0 sector.

“While Founders Fund is known for funding hard engineering development, our mission is to back companies creating new industries and founders pursuing their life’s work,” says Scott Nolan, Partner at Founders Fund. “Impulse will be the leader in rapid, low cost payload delivery beyond launch. Their entire founding team is on a mission to transform the economics of space development and we’re honored to back them.”

Impulse Space Propulsion is growing fast. Visit: www.impulsespace.com.

About Impulse Space Propulsion

Founded in 2021, Impulse Space Propulsion is a Space 2.0 pioneer providing agile, economical last-mile space payload delivery capabilities. With a near-term focus on Low Earth Orbit (LEO), services include in-space transportation, orbital transport of satellites to optimal orbits, in-orbit servicing, space debris deorbit and space station orbit keeping. Long-term, Impulse will include focus on Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO), lunar and beyond, to provide transport of space resources, lunar missions including landers, planetary missions, asteroid resources, in-space manufacturing and propellant depots.