PROPULSION TO LEAD IN LAUNCH
The evolving launch market continues to pressure launch vehicle performance and cost. Propulsion is the solution to both. Ursa Major provides high-performing and reliable propulsion at competitive costs to enable today’s launch vehicle to lead tomorrow’s market.
Our Technology
Ursa Major builds world-class rocket engines—faster and at a lower cost than traditional aerospace primes.
We provide solutions that enable today’s launch vehicle providers to lead the market in performance and cost.
The Approach
RELIABILITY, PERFORMANCE, AGILITY
At Ursa Major, we couple a robust development process with agility and speed to deliver reliable propulsion systems.
Flexibility
Ursa Major relies on scalable, additive manufacturing methods to rapidly develop engines with low risk. We can produce one Hadley engine per week, demonstrated in one year from a previous rate of one engine every two months. Our manufacturing and test facilities are highly flexible to enable quick production scaling.
Rigor
At our unique headquarters in Berthoud, Colorado, thorough development and qualification programs leverage SMC-S-025 requirements and engines are qualified against various mission profiles. Ursa Major engines have accumulated over 100,000 seconds of runtime, or more than 550 mission durations. In-house hardware verification and testing accelerates the feedback loop between design, manufacturing, and testing.
Speed
Ursa Major has demonstrated rapid TRL progression across three platforms, from concept all the way to flight qualified systems. We hot-fired Ripley, the highest performing American kerosene engine ever built. Hadley block upgrades were qualified one to two years after design and Draper hot fired 12 months after design initiation.
Cost
Success in launch demands affordable access to space. With propulsion contributing a meaningful component of overall vehicle cost, Ursa Major understands its unique position and opportunity to provide a solution that allows launch vehicle providers to meet and exceed the increasing price per kilogram to orbit pressures. Doing more with less is in our DNA and we pass that efficiency on to our launch partners.
The Engines
The LOX/Hydrogen propulsion solution to maximize performance and reliability for commercial and government missions.
Draper
In development: A flexible liquid engine with the storability of a solid motor
Hadley
In production: America’s first oxygen-rich staged combustion engine
Arroway
In design: The future of American engines for heavy lift
Solid Rocket Motors
Solid rocket motors that are additively manufactured for production speed and flexibility
The Team
A CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FOR ENGINE DEVELOPMENT
The country’s propulsion experts work at Ursa Major and are laser-focused on building the highest performing propulsion systems for your mission. The result is a reliable partner whose success is your success.
There have only been five new flight engine development programs in the U.S. since the year 2000. Our technical leadership contributed to all of them.
Number of launches an Ursa Major technical employee has worked on average
Percent of our technical talent from New Space companies
Number of propulsion experts and aerospace experts at Ursa Major
Collective years of engine expertise on staff
