Startup Ursa Major advances US hypersonic capabilities with new engine

By Mike Stone and Joey Roulette

(Reuters) - Ursa Major, a startup rocket motor maker, has successfully test-fired its new Draper engine more than 50 times on the ground, the company said on Thursday, marking a significant advance in U.S. hypersonic and in-space propulsion technologies.

Berthoud, Colorado-based Ursa Major's testing is the latest achievement by U.S. companies scrambling to build more advanced engines for missiles and spacecraft that American officials see as crucial deterrents to threats from adversaries such as hypersonic weapons - those that move more than five times the speed of sound - in and beyond Earth's atmosphere.

The Draper engine is also designed for maneuverable spacecraft in Earth's orbit, as geopolitical tensions rise with nations including Russia and China that are enhancing their anti-satellite systems and testing satellites capable of zipping across multiple orbits.

Ursa Major, which announced the project in May 2023, said its development is ahead of schedule.

"We're excited with how quickly the development program has progressed and look forward to fielding the engine for hypersonics and in-space applications in the coming years," Brad Appel, Ursa Major's chief technology officer, said in a statement, noting that the work was supported by a contract from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory.

The Draper engine, which features a 4,000-pound (1,800 kg)thrust with storable liquid fuel, is designed for maneuvering objects into new orbits and simulating hypersonic threats. The rocket is named for a character in the sci-fi novel series, "The Expanse."

The successful testing, conducted in Colorado, has positioned Ursa Major to continue its aggressive development campaign, with aims to enter the U.S. government's testing protocol soon.

(Reporting by Mike Stone and Joey Roulette in Washington; Editing by Will Dunham)