Ursa Major
Ursa Major Mission, Purpose & Impact
Frequently Asked Questions
Ursa Major’s mission is to develop and deliver game-changing aerospace technology and defense systems at scale with unmatched speed and rigor. In just 10 years since its debut in 2015, the company has delivered flight-proven hypersonic propulsion technology to the aerospace industry, completed an ARMD flight, and unveiled vital products to satisfy the evolving needs of defense. Ursa Major’s additive manufacturing facility in Youngstown, Ohio, gives the company a competitive edge with the ability to rapidly scale product lines to deliver solutions faster. Deeply embedded company values of respect, resilience, and results drive this essential mission to fly faster.
In addition to the important work we do, Ursa Major strives to enrich our surrounding community through community engagement and volunteer opportunities. Our employees are encouraged to participate in volunteer opportunities to connect with, enrich, and give back to our local communities through an employee resource group that focuses on community engagement. The “Care Bears” ERG seeks to utilize resources to enrich the lives of others through education, donations, and volunteering while promoting Science and Technology in Colorado. Many employees spend time volunteering with local college and high school STEM and SWE organizations, providing mentorship and advice on engineering projects. Ursa Major is also a strong supporter of veteran’s groups and organizations that support service members. Ursa Major also creates jobs in communities and supports the larger economy. Our Youngstown facilities for manufacturing are a part of the Youngstown Business Incubator (YBI), a regional economic development engine strengthening northern and eastern Ohio communities through education outreach, funding access for start-ups, and job growth. As the largest employer in Berthoud, Colorado, Ursa Major plays a vital role in the Northern Colorado economy by creating jobs, supporting community growth, and providing opportunities for professional development.
The core values at Ursa Major are respect, resilience, and results, allowing the company to drive its mission forward while fostering a strong company culture. At Ursa Major, values are reinforced through transparent communication, employee recognition and awards for demonstrating lived values, and referencing values in decision-making processes. Values are embedded in everyday work and leaders connect decisions to core values, ensuring commitment to such values is present across the breadth of the organization.
Ursa Major’s mission is to develop and deliver game-changing aerospace technology and defense systems at scale with unmatched speed and rigor. In working towards this mission, Ursa Major has had tremendous impact in the successful development of flight-proven, American-manufactured, hypersonic engines and solid rocket motors at unmatched speed. Our innovative products have the ability to save lives, protect American’s and allies, and keep military service members further out of harms way.
Ursa Major Employee Perspectives
Just forty-five days after the preceding flight, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and Ursa Major have executed a follow-on flight of the Affordable Rapid Missile Demonstrator (ARMD) powered by the Draper liquid rocket engine, expanding the flight envelope and proving rapid turnaround of critical hardware. ARMD continues at an aggressive pace, achieving an unprecedented development-to-flight timeline of just eight months.
“The swift technology advancements we are making in ARMD on affordable and mass-producible liquid rocket propulsion are a testament to the resolve, boldness, and strategic vision with which we are researching the unknown with discipline and rapidity, always with the all-absorbing purpose of developing revolutionary capabilities for war,” said AFRL Rocket Propulsion Chief Dr. Javier Urzay.
