What stops rocket engines from melting while hot firing? Copper alloys! As #CopperAppreciationMonth wraps up, it’s the perfect time to highlight how copper's thermal conductivity allows the alloys to rapidly dissipate heat, preventing rocket engines from melting. From rocket launches to space exploration, copper’s thermal power is perfecting propulsion and pushing the boundaries of what's possible.
Ursa Major
Aviation and Aerospace Component Manufacturing
Berthoud, Colorado 36,636 followers
High-performing, American-made propulsion systems for space launch, hypersonics, on-orbit, and national security 🇺🇸
About us
Ursa Major is a Colorado-based manufacturer of turnkey propulsion solutions space launch, hypersonics, on-orbit and national security missions.
- Industry
- Aviation and Aerospace Component Manufacturing
- Company size
- 201-500 employees
- Headquarters
- Berthoud, Colorado
- Type
- Privately Held
- Founded
- 2015
- Specialties
- defense, aerospace, hypersonic, government, propulsion, and solid rocket motors
Locations
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Primary
19750 County Road 7
Berthoud, Colorado 80513, US
Employees at Ursa Major
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Stewart Alsop
Venture Investor, scratching an old itch by writing a substack newsletter, "What Matters (To Me)"
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Ofer SHOSHAN
Entrepreneur, Tech. investor
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Bill Dunford
Principal Quality Engineer
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Tigger (Charlie) Kindel
Exec Leadership Coach - Working to make life multi-planetary 🌍 🪐 🚀 ⛷️🚵♂️
Updates
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Ursa Major was honored to host Colorado Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera, Colorado State Representative Ryan Armagost, and their senior staff at our Berthoud, CO, headquarters. The delegation witnessed a test of a Hadley engine displaying 5,000 lbf and toured the manufacturing and engineering spaces. Ursa Major appreciates the strong support of our state and local leaders as we grow to support the needs of the commercial space industry and US defense industrial base.
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We are celebrating #CopperAppreciationAugust! Did you know copper is crucial to additive manufacturing in the aerospace industry? Using 3D printing to produce components like the lining of combustion chambers prevents overheating & ensures stability to push production forward.
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We are excited to welcome Ben Nicholson to the Ursa Major team. He brings expertise in strategic planning, defense, and government from both his industry experience and service to our country.
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#UrsaMajorFirsts: Ursa Major’s Hadley engine powered Stratolaunch's Talon 1, the nation’s first reusable hypersonic test vehicle developed by a private company. Hadley’s first flight took place in March 2024 and reached near-hypersonic speeds.
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How do combustion chambers sustain high temperatures without melting? Copper! When combining copper with other elements like chromium and niobium, we can increase its durability while maintaining its unique thermal-conducting abilities. #CopperAppreciationAugust
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This week, Daniel Jablonsky, newly appointed CEO of Ursa Major, spoke with employees on his first day on the job. Dan shared his enthusiasm for the company's future of delivering cutting-edge propulsion solutions for customers and emphasized the importance of continuing Ursa Major's culture, rooted in innovation.
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As tensions rise amongst adversaries, we must strategize ways to arm warfighters with hypersonic technology at a quicker, more-affordable pace. Our Draper and Hadley engines are well-suited to address DOD's toughest ongoing challenges. Read more: https://brnw.ch/21wLKjk
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#UrsaMajorFirsts: We became the first U.S. company to fire an oxygen-rich staged combustion engine, and in 2019, we developed the highest-performing kerosene engine in the United States. Our kerosene engine, Ripley, has the highest Specific Impulse (Isp) of any American kerosene rocket engine in history. By adapting quickly and creating efficiencies, we help customers launch faster without relying on foreign technology or incurring the high cost of building engines in-house.
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It's #CopperAppreciationAugust. This month, we'll highlight copper's unique qualities that make it a crucial material in the aerospace industry. In the meantime, enjoy this clip featuring the birth of our Hadley engine 🤩