Ursa Major Technologies has signed a contract with the U.S. Navy to produce a new 3D printed solid rocket motor for the Standard Missile (SM) program.
The Colorado-based company announced it has been selected to develop a new design for the flagship Mk-104 dual rocket motor currently installed in the Navy’s SM-2, SM-3 and SM-6 missiles.
Manufacturing high-performance motors takes time, so Ursa uses an innovative manufacturing technology called “Lynx” to speed up the process.
Lynx is reportedly leveraging additive manufacturing to design solid rocket motors that are more manufacturable and reliable.
“We are proud that Ursa Major is supported and recognized by the Navy as a trusted partner to develop the next generation Mk-104 solid rocket motor,” said the company’s CEO. I am. joe laurienti Said.
Ursa Major will coordinate with the Program Office – Integrated Warfare Systems (PEO-IWS), Naval Air Warfare Center, and Naval Surface Warfare Center on this program.
“Top priority”
The United States is reportedly facing high demand for solid rocket motors to power various missile systems.
The situation is further exacerbated by a lack of domestic suppliers and the need to continue aid to Ukraine, which is at war.
For this reason, the Captain of the PEO-IWS Director, Thomas Siegenthaler He said increasing the scale of missile motor production has become a top priority for the Navy.
“PEO IWS is excited to collaborate with Ursa Major on this effort that strengthens a critical element of the nation’s industrial base,” he said. “I was impressed with Ursa Major’s innovative approach to addressing manufacturing challenges.”
lynx technology
Introduced in 2023, Lynx technology was built to enable the production of solid rocket motors without the need for expensive and time-consuming retooling or retraining.
Extend your processes with additive manufacturing and product-independent tooling systems.
Ursa explained that this technology is an important new tool that will help the United States eliminate bottlenecks in rocket production.
“Our new approach to manufacturing will allow Ursa Major to rapidly develop high-performance motors at scale, increasing production yields and cost efficiencies to address this critical national need.” says Laurienti.
Ursa’s first 3D printed 6-inch diameter motor.Photo: Ursa Major
