#United States #Ursa Major #Rocket Motor #Weld County

Ursa Major Breaks Ground on Solid Rocket Motor Test Site

Ursa Major has officially started the construction of a significant new facility dedicated to the testing and qualification of solid rocket motors (SRMs) on a sprawling 400-acre site located in Weld County, Colorado. This development is seen as a major milestone for the aerospace and defense sector, particularly in the context of enhancing the country’s missile defense capabilities.

The CEO of Ursa Major, Dan Jablonsky, articulated the importance of this facility, noting it marks a substantial advancement in the company’s capability to design, manufacture, and prepare large-scale solid rocket motor systems. Jablonsky reiterated the facility's role in serving the national defense priorities, stating that it will facilitate the creation of SRMs that are scalable and adaptable to meet the rapidly changing threat landscape the nation faces.

The new facility will serve as a test hub for Ursa Major’s large-scale SRMs, directly supporting both existing and future missile systems. The design of the site emphasizes safety and efficiency; it is explicitly engineered for full-scale static fires and comprehensive qualification processes, including drop tests and temperature storage parameters. These extensive testing procedures will ensure the validation and reliability of SRMs produced by the company's innovative Lynx manufacturing process.

The Lynx process is a state-of-the-art, software-driven production system that enables the creation of SRMs with various dimensions and thrust needs without necessitating any retooling. This flexibility is crucial as the demand for advanced SRM capabilities rises in military applications.

This groundbreaking ceremony comes on the brink of an incredibly productive period for Ursa Major, which has conducted four successful flight tests and over 450 static firings to date. Noteworthy achievements include multiple tests of a 5” diameter SRM to validate Ursa Major’s exclusive manufacturing methods and a series of highly loaded motor firings that expand the operational possibilities of their products.

Significantly supported by investments from the U.S. Navy, Ursa Major is not only scaling its production capabilities but also enhancing its test infrastructure to ensure timely delivery of advanced rocket motor systems. The company aims to deliver missile defense capabilities faster and at a more affordable rate than traditional suppliers in the field.

As construction kicks off, testing at the new site is anticipated to begin in the fourth quarter of 2025. This timeline reflects the urgency in addressing the evolving challenges in defense technology and the need for established industrial bases to adapt swiftly.

In addition to rocket motor testing, Ursa Major is recognized for its efforts in hypersonics and in-space propulsion systems. The company, headquartered in Berthoud, Colorado, maintains additive manufacturing operations in Youngstown, Ohio, advocating for modernized capabilities that benefit both the U.S. and allied forces.

Ursa Major continues to leverage advanced production techniques and adaptable architectures to create robust systems applicable across various domains, including land, air, sea, and outer space. This strategic alignment underlines their commitment to revitalizing the U.S. defense industrial framework, increasingly vital in the current geopolitical climate where speed and innovation can have significant implications.

For more insights on Ursa Major and their cutting-edge initiatives in aerospace and defense, please visit their official website at www.ursamajor.com.