REDONDO BEACH, Calif. - The U.S. Space Force is expanding its investment in commercially developed maneuverable spacecraft for space domain awareness, awarding Impulse Space a $27.77 million contract modification for two additional Mira space vehicles that will host government-furnished payloads in low Earth orbit.
The award increases the total value of the company's existing Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase III contract to $62.8 million from approximately $35 million, according to a Department of Defense (DoD) contract announcement. The additional Mira vehicles will carry government-furnished payloads intended to perform space domain awareness characterization missions in low Earth orbit, with work expected to be completed by 31 March 2030.
The contract modification expands an existing Space Systems Command effort rather than establishing a new program. Awarded under contract FA8809-25-C-B001, the Phase III award traces its origins to an earlier SBIR effort in which Impulse Space matured its Mira spacecraft for defense applications. Under the SBIR program, Phase III contracts allow government agencies to acquire technologies that have successfully progressed through earlier research and prototype phases without conducting a new competition.
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Commercial background
Unlike traditional spacecraft built around mission-specific government payloads, Mira is a commercially developed spacecraft designed to host payloads while providing substantial on-orbit maneuverability. The vehicle uses a green bipropellant propulsion system that enables rapid orbital repositioning and supports missions requiring frequent changes in orbit or proximity operations.
Mira is designed as a maneuverable spacecraft capable of carrying payloads weighing up to 300 kilograms while providing hundreds of meters per second of available delta-V for orbital repositioning. The vehicle uses eight proprietary Saiph engines fueled by nitrous oxide and ethane, a non-toxic bipropellant combination intended to provide high-thrust maneuverability for responsive space missions. According to Impulse Space, the propulsion system is capable of cold starts, enabling spacecraft to remain dormant before executing maneuvers on demand.
The DoD did not identify the government-furnished payloads that will fly aboard the additional Mira vehicles or specify the missions they will support. However, the award continues the Space Force's broader use of commercially developed spacecraft as flexible host platforms for defense payloads.
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Space domain awareness
Space domain awareness has become an increasingly important mission area as the number of military, commercial, and civil spacecraft operating in orbit continues to grow. While ground-based radar and optical systems remain essential for tracking objects in space, spacecraft operating in orbit can provide closer observation and characterization of resident space objects and their activities. Operating in low Earth orbit also enables hosted payloads to maneuver within one of the most active orbital regions, where large numbers of government and commercial spacecraft are deployed.
Impulse Space previously announced that the original Phase III contract supports the Space Force's VICTUS SURGO and VICTUS SALO missions, which are intended to demonstrate responsive spacecraft capable of supporting space domain awareness operations. Although the DoD's latest contract announcement does not identify a specific mission for the additional Mira vehicles, the modification reflects continued investment in maneuverable commercial spacecraft designed to support evolving military space operations.
Space Systems Command at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., awarded the contract. Fiscal 2025 procurement funds totaling $19.75 million were obligated at the time of award.
