Ursa Major Rocket Start Up

Raytheon and Ursa Major have had two successful flight-tests of a new rocket-motor:

Raytheon, Ursa Major log successful solid rocket motor flight test

WASHINGTON — RTX weapons arm Raytheon and defense startup Ursa Major Technologies have completed two successful test flights of a missile propelled by a new solid rocket motor, the companies announced today.

The recent tests mark a step forward in Ursa Major’s path to become a third provider of solid rocket motors for the US weapons industry around 2026, when qualification of the technology is currently scheduled, the companies stated in a news release.

“There is a new player on the scene in the solid rocket motor industry,” Ursa Major CEO Dan Jablonsky told reporters during a roundtable. “This is an Army program that we’ve been working on with Raytheon. In this particular program, we went from concept and design to firing and flight on the range in just under four months, which is lightning fast.”
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NMaude said:
Raytheon and Ursa Major have had two successful flight-tests of a new rocket-motor:

Raytheon, Ursa Major log successful solid rocket motor flight test
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Copying my musings from the Standard Missile thread.

They are being coy about what specific missile was used for testing. But if the photo that comes with the article is any guide, my hunch is that it's related to Rolling Airframe Missile. The Ursa Major test article looks like it has six tail fins and a slight boattail. Closest match I can find to that is RAM Block 2. Fins are not quite an exact match, but close. (I half wonder if there isn't a RAM Block 3 in the works somewhere with a full caliber front end and correspondingly larger tail fins.)

1734525900645.png

1734525941703.png
 
OH, as @Josh_TN pointed out, this is specifically for an Army program, so RAM is probably not related at all. Then again, no guarantee that photo is linked to the test, either.

Space News has a totally different photo of a 6-inch rocket motor test, which also might not be related in any way to this test. This looks very much like a Close-Combat Missile System- Heavy (CCMS-H) concept to me. Seems in the right ballpark to be a TOW replacement, anyway.

spacenews.com

Raytheon tests Ursa Major's rocket motor in U.S. Army missile flight

Raytheon tests Ursa Major's rocket motor in U.S. Army missile flight Raytheon tests Ursa Major's rocket motor in U.S. Army missile flight
spacenews.com spacenews.com

1734540466301.png
 
Neither of those images may be related to the program. The press release and statements describe it as a sub 10 inch diameter motor with a sub 1000 km weapon range. With an extended range variant to be tested in 2025. This wasn’t a motor fire but a flight test of the weapon its supporting.
 
Since the rocket-motor in question was less than 10" in size and for an existing design I was thinking of either an AIM-120, AIM-9 or maybe AIM-7M/P.
 
TUCSON, Ariz., Dec. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, and Ursa Major announced its advanced long-range solid rocket motor completed a successful missile flight test for the U.S. Army. The companies' combined experience and expertise in digital engineering was a critical factor in accelerating the design and development of this transformational capability.

"These long-range solid rocket motors will allow the U.S. Army and allies to strike farther and faster than anything our adversaries have in their arsenals," said Tom Laliberty, president of Land and Air Defense Systems at Raytheon. "This long-range rocket motor technology fills the essential role of providing affordable precision fires, while increasing range, safety, and magazine depth."

Raytheon and Ursa Major's technical approach composes innovative, low-cost component technologies to deliver a new generation of smart munitions for the U.S. Army that are significantly more affordable than currently fielded systems.

"The Ursa Major team has utilized additive manufacturing to complete motor development, manufacturing, and testing in unprecedented timelines, resulting in nearly 300 static test fires this year," said Ursa Major CEO Dan Jablonsky. "The innovative manufacturing techniques we employ are yielding agile solid rocket motor solutions with the design flexibility needed to expand the capabilities of the U.S. military. Ursa Major is poised to scale the production of higher-performing solid rocket motors at the pace and volume the country requires and at a price the country can afford."

Raytheon has selected Ursa Major's advanced propulsion technology as a key enabler to provide affordable solutions for the U.S. Army at extended ranges. During the next phase of the program, Raytheon and Ursa Major will incorporate manufacturing improvements, leading toward additional flight tests in 2025 and qualification in 2026.

In 2023, RTX Ventures invested in Ursa Major to explore new rocket motor technologies and help address this national security requirement. Together, Raytheon and Ursa Major are responding to the U.S. Army's urgent need for affordable precision-guided munitions by rapidly developing a new generation of smart munitions, via investments in rocket motor development and testing to prove design stability and maturity.
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www.rtx.com

RTX's Raytheon and Ursa Major conduct successful flight test

TUCSON, Ariz., Dec. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon, anRTX (NYSE: RTX) business, and Ursa Major announced its advanced long-range solid rocket motor completed a successful missile flight test for the U.S. Army. The companies' combined experience and expertise in digital engineering was a...
www.rtx.com www.rtx.com
 
Ok, maybe this is relevant:

SAM.gov

sam.gov sam.gov

"Sources sought" announcement for alternative suppliers of GMLRS rockets from August. The timing fits -- this announcement was about 4 months ago. They could be testing the basic GMLRS rockets (<10 inches) now, with the intention of testing the ER rocket in the near future.
 
TomS said:
Ok, maybe this is relevant:

SAM.gov

sam.gov sam.gov

"Sources sought" announcement for alternative suppliers of GMLRS rockets from August. The timing fits -- this announcement was about 4 months ago. They could be testing the basic GMLRS rockets (<10 inches) now, with the intention of testing the ER rocket in the near future.
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That's just a solicitation for the upcoming production lots for GMLRS. Its not a notice to find a second supplier for either the GMLRS or GMLRS ER magazine.
 
bring_it_on said:
That's just a solicitation for the upcoming production lots for GMLRS. Its not a notice to find a second supplier for either the GMLRS or GMLRS ER magazine.
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AvWeek thought otherwise (they certainly could be wrong, though)

U.S. Army Tests Competitive Bids For Future GMLRS Production | Aviation Week Network

Any new vendors face a high-bar for matching the volume of GMLRS production by Lockheed and propulsion supplier Northrop Grumman.
aviationweek.com aviationweek.com

Army did go ahead with a multi-year award to LM, though.
 
TomS said:
AvWeek thought otherwise (they certainly could be wrong, though)

U.S. Army Tests Competitive Bids For Future GMLRS Production | Aviation Week Network

Any new vendors face a high-bar for matching the volume of GMLRS production by Lockheed and propulsion supplier Northrop Grumman.
aviationweek.com aviationweek.com

Army did go ahead with a multi-year award to LM, though.
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Looks like something that they post before negotiating a contract. Raytheon certainly isn't sitting on a FY25 production capacity of 14K GMLRS rounds per year. That would be equivilant to them holding the entire Lockheed GMLRS production footprint idle.
 
bring_it_on said:
Looks like something that they post before negotiating a contract. Raytheon certainly isn't sitting on a FY25 production capacity of 14K GMLRS rounds per year. That would be equivilant to them holding the entire Lockheed GMLRS production footprint idle.
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Quite probably. But it is conceivable they are exploring the possibility of adding a second source.
 
Forest Green said:
www.spacewar.com

RTX and Ursa Major advance long-range rocket technology for US Army

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 03, 2025 - Raytheon, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, in collaboration with Ursa Major, has announced the successful missile flight test of their advanced long-range solid rocket motor developed for the U.S. Army.
www.spacewar.com
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In case anyone is wondering, the photo is a stock HIMARS/ATACMS image, not related to the test. Not sure why they chose an LM product to go with an RTX press release.
 
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Ursa Major Raises $100 Million to Scale Hypersonics, Solid Rocket Motors and Space Mobility​

ursamajor.com

Ursa Major Raises $100 Million to Scale Hypersonics, Solid Rocket Motors and Space Mobility

Ursa Major raises $100M, closes Series E, to scale hypersonics, solid rocket motors, and space mobility manufacturing.
ursamajor.com ursamajor.com

Forest Green said:

Liquid propulsion for hypersonics provides flight capabilities not seen before​

Ursa Major's American-made storable liquid rocket engine technology offers advantages over traditional liquid and solid rocket propulsion.
breakingdefense.com

Liquid propulsion for hypersonics provides flight capabilities not seen before - Breaking Defense

Ursa Major's American-made storable liquid rocket engine technology offers advantages over traditional liquid and solid rocket propulsion.
breakingdefense.com breakingdefense.com
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A 7" diameter rocket-motor is clearly aimed at as a replacement or supplement for the current AIM-120 rocket-motor.
 
Forest Green said:
Could also be for a Hellfire/JAGM.
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Good point as they also have a 7" diameter airframe, I wonder if Ursa Major will develop a 7" launch booster for the ground-launched Hellfire/JAGM to boost them up to M1.2 to get them past the transonic drag regime to give them the same range as the air-launched versions?​
 
bring_it_on said:
IIRC, UM is also working with AFRL to fly the liquid fuel draper engine equipped Angry Tortoise in the coming months first at WSMR and then over the Pacific at higher Mach. This appears to be a pitch to continue to evolve the engine and put together some sort of weapon system utilizing it.


ursamajor.com

Introducing the “Ursa Major HAVOC Missile System”: A Medium-Range, Affordable Hypersonic Capability

ursamajor.com ursamajor.com
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bring_it_on said:
ursamajor.com

Introducing Draper: Ursa Major’s Storable Liquid Engine for Hypersonic Defense

Ursa Major unveils Draper, a 4,000-pound-thrust storable liquid rocket engine designed for hypersonic defense and in-space propulsion. Funded by AFRL, Draper offers on-demand launch capabilities, maneuverability, and green propellants.
ursamajor.com ursamajor.com
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Forest Green said:

Ursa Major unleashes HAVOC with new hypersonic missile​

breakingdefense.com

Ursa Major unleashes HAVOC with new hypersonic missile - Breaking Defense

Ursa Major's new CEO Chris Spagnoletti told Breaking Defense that the company's new hypersonic weapon could cost $3 million a piece.
breakingdefense.com breakingdefense.com
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flateric said:
www.defensenews.com

New hypersonic missiles unveiled for fighter planes, ground systems

The medium-range hypersonic system is powered by a liquid rocket engine, is able to alter its speed in flight and can be adapted for use.
www.defensenews.com www.defensenews.com
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Aviation Week story on the HAVOC:

Ursa Major Unveils Multiuse HAVOC Hypersonic Missile | Aviation Week Network

Ursa Major has unveiled a new hypersonic missile designed to be produced at a large scale and with the potential to be used as both a weapon and a target.
aviationweek.com aviationweek.com
 
One can't help but wonder why the US military would go back to using liquid-fueled rockets carrying onboard oxidizer.
 
Sferrin said:
One can't help but wonder why the US military would go back to using liquid-fueled rockets carrying onboard oxidizer.
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They could compromise and use hybrid-rockets with solid-fuel and liquid-oxidiser.
 
Forest Green said:
Throttleability is my guess and maybe a bottleneck on solid propellants perhaps.
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So why not ramjet/scramjet? More range. (Though the rocket might be cheaper, albeit forget the insensitive munitions requirement.)
 
Sferrin said:
So why not ramjet/scramjet? More range. (Though the rocket might be cheaper, albeit forget the insensitive munitions requirement.)
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LFR can go exo-atmospheric and take a trajectory close to an MET giving more range.
 

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