Ursa Major has been contracted to further refine its liquid rocket engine known as Draper for hypersonic technology applications in support of US warfighters.
Awarded by the US Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) Rocket Propulsion Division at Edwards AFB, the firm-fixed-price contract is valued at $28.56m.
Go deeper with GlobalData
This contract focuses on advancements in responsive space, hypersonic, and on-orbit propulsion systems. It is set to culminate in a flight demonstration of Draper, which boasts a thrust capacity of 4,000lb-force.
Ursa Major’s Draper propulsion system is designed to merge the storable qualities of solid rocket motors with the throttle control and range of liquid systems.
The development of Draper aims to equip military personnel with enhanced manoeuvrability and flexibility, as well as increased range capabilities necessary to effectively address and neutralise hypersonic threats.
Ursa Major CEO Dan Jablonsky said: “Under this contract, Ursa Major serves as the lead integrator for a tactical flight demonstrator that will prove the ability to use a storable liquid rocket system for hypersonic applications.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalData“Because of their tactical configuration, storable liquid rocket engines, like Ursa Major’s Draper, are uniquely positioned to deliver to the warfighter a hypersonic capability that is manufacturable at scale and at a fraction of the cost of alternatives.”
The Draper system, a tactical and storable variant of the operational Hadley system, enhances the simulation of hypersonic threats and fills vital gaps in the US hypersonic capabilities, notes Ursa Major.
The engine is a closed catalyst cycle system and uses non-cryogenic fuels to facilitate long-term storage.
Following the development announcement of Draper, Ursa Major revealed the successful hot fire test in May 2024.
Since then, Draper has undergone more than 200 hot fire tests and is now preparing for its inaugural flight.
This contract follows a recent collaborative research and development initiative between the US AFRL and Xanadu Quantum Technologies.
In April 2025, the partnership was formed to push forward advancements in photonic quantum technologies.
