DEPLOYDatabase

Deployment

Helios at Geostationary Orbit (GEO)

High-energy kick stage designed for direct GEO insertion from LEO. 3.5 m diameter. Primary engine: Deneb (67 kN LOX/methane, ox-rich staged combustion, 380+ s Isp). Payload capacity ~4,000 kg. First flight targeted 2026 (Falcon 9, with two Mira vehicles). First commercial customer: SES (multi-launch agreement, first mission 2027).

Helios by Impulse Space · Catalog entry · 2 sources · not yet field-verified · Space

Track Helios at Geostationary Orbit (GEO)

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SES has signed a multi-launch agreement with Impulse Space for Helios transport services, with Helios positioned in geostationary orbit. The deployment involves Impulse Space's propulsion capabilities for orbital transport operations serving SES's GEO infrastructure.

Key facts

Mission
First dedicated commercial Helios mission (SES)
Customer
SES (multi-launch agreement signed 2025-05-22)
Target
2027
Profile
4-ton-class satellite to GEO within 8 hours of LEO launch (same-day delivery)

Exposure

Customer segment
logistics
Scale tier
pilot lt10

Each exposure value carries its own basis marker. Aggregators report a number; this surface preserves the source class so verification depth travels with the value.

Safety record

No incidents on record for Helios at Geostationary Orbit (GEO).

Only active incidents are counted. Retracted incidents are excluded from this summary but remain reachable at their canonical URLs.

Trust tier
Catalog entry · 2 sources · not yet field-verifiedhow tiers work →
Last updated
2026-08-21
Model
Helios
Company
Impulse Space
Location
Geostationary Orbit (GEO)
Operator
Impulse Space
Status
announced
Operator type
maker operated
Scale at site
2 to 10 units
Site environment
outdoor
Location precision
verified coordinates
First seen
2025-06-01
ID
56da6d35-d859-4af1-ab73-57c9a26ba0e6

Timeline

  1. Jun 2025
    First recorded
    Helios first documented operating at Geostationary Orbit (GEO).
  2. Jun 2026
    created
  3. Aug 2026
    Current status: announced, reviewed
    Latest recorded state. New status transitions append here as the deployment-status recorder produces them.

On the deployment map

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Helios operates in Geostationary Orbit (GEO). Explore the full verified map:

Sources (2)

  1. https://www.ses.com/press-release/ses-signs-multi-launch-agreement-helios-transport-services-impulse-space
  2. https://www.impulsespace.com/propulsion
Methodology: Verified · 2 sources (no primary) · last reviewed 2026-08-21

Verification posture

Verified

Low confidence

Review state

Stable

Last reviewed 2026-08-21

Maturity + lifecycle

Maturity stage: pilot

Lifecycle: active

Architectural position

Cohort: space

Sources by quality tier

2
unclassified
Unclassified source

The framework is documented at /methodology. Corrections at /corrections. Reviewer: DEPLOY editorial team.

Methodology surface for Helios at Geostationary Orbit (GEO).

Common questions

What is the Helios deployment at Geostationary Orbit (GEO)?
Helios, built by Impulse Space, is recorded as a deployment at Geostationary Orbit (GEO) on the DEPLOY registry. Impulse Space operates the deployment directly.
Who operates Helios at Geostationary Orbit (GEO)?
Impulse Space, the manufacturer of Helios, operates this deployment directly. This is a maker-deploys-its-own-product arrangement rather than a customer pilot.
When did the Helios deployment at Geostationary Orbit (GEO) go live?
The deployment is recorded as starting June 1, 2025 on the DEPLOY registry. Earlier activity may exist but is not yet sourced.
Is the Helios deployment at Geostationary Orbit (GEO) still active?
As of the most recent verification on the DEPLOY registry, this deployment is announced but not yet operating.
Have there been incidents at the Helios deployment at Geostationary Orbit (GEO)?
No active incidents affecting this deployment are recorded on the DEPLOY registry. Absence of recorded incidents is not a guarantee no incident occurred; DEPLOY records only sourced incidents and suppresses retracted ones.

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