DEPLOYDatabase

Robot model

Rigel

180 lbf (~800 N) bipropellant engine in development for Mars lander propulsive descent.

Track Rigel
Manufacturer
Impulse Space
Form factor
space
Maturity
research
Lifecycle
active

Overview

180 lbf (~800 N) bipropellant engine in development for Mars lander propulsive descent. Tested at Mojave Air and Space Port. Will perform powered landing on Mars for the joint Impulse/Relativity mission.

Verified vs. claimed

Maturity stage
research(Lab-stage only; no commercial or public deployment reported.)
Verified deployments
None on file
Sources on file
1 source, view all

No verified deployments on file. DEPLOY tracks independently-sourced deployment evidence separately from manufacturer capability claims.

Key facts

Thrust

~800 N (180 lbf)

Propellant

N2O / ethane (inferred)

Status

development / test

Role

Mars lander descent engine

Specs

Role

Mars lander descent engine

Status

development / test

Thrust

~800 N (180 lbf)

Autonomy

n/a (component)

Propellant

N2O / ethane (inferred)

Data & sources

Web sources

1

1 source backing this record.View all →

Pricing

No verified price is on record for Rigel. Physical-AI systems are often sold through enterprise contracts or operated as a service rather than at a public list price.

How DEPLOY tracks pricing

Rigel on the deployment map

Where Rigel is verified operating. Explore the deployment map by place and type.

Recent activity

Every change to this record is dated, sourced, and independently verified where marked.

Full change history →

Safety record

No incidents on record for Rigel.

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

Sources (1)

  1. https://spacenews.com/impulse-and-relativity-target-2026-for-launch-of-first-mars-lander-mission/

Common questions

What is Rigel?
180 lbf (~800 N) bipropellant engine in development for Mars lander propulsive descent. Tested at Mojave Air and Space Port. Will perform powered landing on Mars for the joint Impulse/Relativity mission.
How much does Rigel cost?
Rigel's price is not publicly disclosed. DEPLOY has no verified price on record for Rigel from Impulse Space. Physical-AI systems like this are often sold through enterprise contracts or operated as a service rather than at a public list price; check the manufacturer for the latest.
Is Rigel actually deployed in the real world?
Rigel is at the research stage: it exists, but DEPLOY has no verified real-world deployment on record. Manufacturer capability claims should be read as claims pending independent verification.
Who makes Rigel?
Rigel is made by Impulse Space, based in Redondo Beach, California, USA, founded in 2021.
Can you buy Rigel?
Rigel is at research stage and is not yet available for sale.
Methodology: Verified · 1 source (no primary) · last reviewed 2026-07-12

Verification posture

Verified

Low confidence

Review state

Stable

Last reviewed 2026-07-12

Maturity + lifecycle

Maturity stage: research

Lifecycle: active

Architectural position

Cohort: space

Sources by quality tier

1
unclassified
Unclassified source

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

Methodology surface for Rigel.

Recent coverage

Rigel in third-party press

Impulse Space Raises $500M Series D to Build In-Space Mobility Infrastructure for the Space Economy

Jan 1, 2026

SpaceX founding employee successfully moves from rockets to in-space propulsion - Ars Technica

Nov 13, 2023

SpaceX’s CTO of propulsion retired. Now he wants to go to Mars. - TechCrunch

Jul 26, 2022