[Impulse Space, Founded by SpaceX's First Employee, Completes $500 Million Series D Funding, Valued at $4.26 Billion] BlockBeats News, June 4: According to a report by Tech Funding News, space infrastructure company Impulse Space, founded by SpaceX's first employee Tom Mueller, has completed a $500 million Series D funding round. The round was co-led by 137 Ventures and BANNER VC, bringing the company's post-money valuation to $4.26 billion. With this round, Impulse Space's total funding has exceeded $1 billion. Founded in 2021, Impulse Space primarily addresses spacecraft maneuvering challenges after launch into orbit. The company develops chemically propelled spacecraft to enable rapid orbit changes, orbital transfers, and in-orbit maneuvers. Its Mira precision maneuvering vehicle has successfully completed multiple missions, and the Helios high-energy upper stage is scheduled for its first flight in 2027, aiming to rapidly deliver payloads to GEO, the Moon, and heliocentric orbits. Tom Mueller, who was SpaceX's first employee, led the development of the Merlin engine used in Falcon 9 and the Raptor engine used in Starship. He stated that Impulse Space is not just building spacecraft but is creating the economic and technological engine to propel humanity into space. [Original Link]