Where Spacecraft Learn to Move, Think, and Operate
Impulse Space has opened a new 20,000 square foot manufacturing facility outside Boulder, Colorado, expanding our existing footprint in the region. With multiple spacecraft in development and a growing list of contracts across commercial, civil, and government customers, our Colorado facility leads the Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) program for Mira and Helios – developing how our spacecraft sense, orient, and maneuver on orbit, carrying systems from early design decisions through flight operations.
The new facility also expands our machine shop production capabilities with additional multi-axis CNC and precision mill-turn machines for in-house valve production and other flight hardware.
Scaling Our Flight-Proven GNC Program
Building from first principles, Impulse’s GNC software is designed to scale across missions, supporting the systems that will drive the future of in-space mobility.
With additional GNC labs and full-stack testbeds coming online in the new Colorado facility, our team is expanding their capacity to model spacecraft behavior during precision maneuvers and close proximity operations, with landing and robotic mobility systems in progress.
This work builds on the accomplishments of our Colorado team, formed three years ago. Among those achievements: the sun sensor algorithm that powers Safe Mode, the star tracker algorithm in the first generations of the hardware, and the attitude and delta-V control that empowers our industry-leading precision maneuvering capabilities. These capabilities are flying now on the LEO Express 1, 2, and 3 missions – and are core to how those vehicles orient, maneuver, and rendezvous in space.
Machining Flight-Ready Hardware
Our new Colorado facility also houses precision mill-turn operations and multi-axis CNC machining. Across the factory floor, tight-tolerance propulsion components, and high-reliability valves that power orbital burns and course corrections, are machined, assembled, and qualified for flight. These components are now being built for Helios and future spacecraft bound for GEO and beyond.
“Since moving into the new facility, we have manufactured components for Deneb pumps and Helios valves, installed six CNC machines, and built the support infrastructure and clean room to enable flight hardware production,” said Kevin Arruda, Impulse’s Manufacturing Lead and Colorado Site Lead. “We are now scaling in-house valve manufacturing, inspection, assembly, and testing.”
Engineering In-Space Mobility
Our Colorado facility is vertically integrated, built for precision, iteration, and scale. It’s where flight hardware meets the on-orbit autonomy that is unlocking fast, reliable, and affordable in-space mobility for all sectors of the space economy.
“Space has become central to daily life, from communications and navigation to security and exploration,” said Eric Romo, President and COO of Impulse Space. “Getting to orbit is only part of the challenge. Operators still need to move quickly, reliably, and affordably after the rocket drops them off. At Impulse, we’re building the in-space mobility infrastructure that allows spacecraft to do this. The work our team is doing in Colorado is foundational to making that possible.”
With a responsible engineering mindset and deep technical focus, we’re closing the loop between development and mission execution in our Colorado facility. If you want to join us in one of the most established aerospace regions in the country, we’re hiring.
Explore open roles on our Careers page.
