Ursa Major has announced a contract with the Naval Energetics Systems and Technologies (NEST) Program to develop and hot fire tests a prototype solid rocket motor (SRM) for the US Navy’s Standard Missile program.
In November last year, Ursa Major announced its Lynx approach to designing and manufacturing SRMs, which leans on 3D printing technology.
Under this contract with NEST, Ursa Major will develop a new design and apply Lynx to the Navy’s workhorse Mk 104 dual-thrust rocket motor in coordination with the Navy’s Program Executive Office Integrated Warfare Systems 3.0, Naval Air Warfare Center – Weapons Division at China Lake, and the Naval Surface Warfare Center at Indian Head.
The Mk 104 SRM powers the Navy’s arsenal, including the SM-2, used for surface-to-air defence; the SM-3, used for ballistic missile defence; and the SM-6, an anti-air, land and sea missile. In 2022, the Missile Defense Agency stated that the SM-6 is the only missile capable of intercepting manoeuvrable hypersonic missiles.
Using Lynx, a manufacturing processes which combines additive manufacturing with a product-agnostic tooling system, Ursa Major will design a high-performing motor built for ‘manufacturability and reliability.’
“We are proud of the Navy’s support and recognition of Ursa Major as a trusted partner to develop the next generation of Mk 104 solid rocket motors,” commented Ursa Major founder and CEO Joe Laurienti. “Our new approach to manufacturing SRMs allows Ursa Major to quickly develop high-performing motors at scale, driving volume and cost efficiencies to address this critical national need.”
“PEO IWS (Integrated War Systems) is excited to work with Ursa Major on this effort to bolster a critical component of the Nation’s industrial base,” added Captain Thomas Seigenthaler, the Director of PEO IWS 3.0. “The production of solid rocket motors is a top priority, and we are impressed with Ursa Major’s innovative approach to address manufacturing challenges.”