The agreement builds on prior work to mature advanced liquid rocket engines and will culminate in a tactical flight demonstration. Ursa Major will serve as lead integrator for the project, using its Draper propulsion system to validate capabilities in hypersonic environments.
“Under this contract, Ursa Major serves as the lead integrator for a tactical flight demonstrator that will prove the ability to use a storable liquid rocket system for hypersonic applications,” said Dan Jablonsky, CEO of Ursa Major. “Because of their tactical configuration, storable liquid rocket engines, like Ursa Major’s Draper, are uniquely positioned to deliver to the warfighter a hypersonic capability that is manufacturable at scale and at a fraction of the cost of alternatives.”
Draper combines the long-term storable characteristics of solid rocket motors with the throttle control and extended range typical of liquid propulsion systems. The engine is designed to deliver the manoeuvrability, range, and flexibility required for hypersonic missions.
A tactical variant of the company’s flight-proven Hadley engine, Draper addresses critical shortfalls in the U.S. hypersonic portfolio and supports realistic threat simulation. The 4,000-pound-thrust system uses non-cryogenic fuels and operates on a closed catalyst cycle, ensuring long-term storage capabilities.
Ursa Major confirmed the first successful hotfire of Draper in May 2024, shortly after announcing its development. The engine has since completed over 200 hotfire tests and will fly for the first time under the terms of this contract.
