Ursa Major has completed 10 consecutive successful flights of its Hadley liquid rocket engine, marking a significant step in reusable hypersonic technology.
Several of these missions were carried out with Stratolaunch, including flights at sustained hypersonic speeds.
The company says this milestone shows that hypersonic capability is no longer experimental. Instead, it is moving into real operational use. The flights were not limited to one-time tests. Some missions used previously flown engines, proving that the system can be reused without losing performance.
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Chris Spagnoletti, CEO of Ursa Major, highlighted the importance of this progress. He said, “These flights are not just demonstrations. They are real missions. Ten successful flights show that hypersonic capability is already here.” He added that the company is focused on building systems that can fly, refly, and scale quickly to meet demand.
The Hadley engine runs on liquid oxygen (LOX) and is designed for both hypersonic vehicles and space launch. It is built using advanced 3D printing methods. This allows engineers to design, test, and improve the engine faster than traditional manufacturing methods. The approach also helps the company move quickly from development to production.
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Reusability has been a major focus. By flying the same engines multiple times, Ursa Major has shown durability and fast turnaround between missions. This also opens the door to reducing the cost per flight, which is a key factor for both defense and commercial use.
As global demand for hypersonic systems grows, the company is working to increase the frequency of its flights and the speed at which it can produce engines. Ursa Major says it aims to deliver reliable, American-made propulsion systems that support national security needs.
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With this achievement, Ursa Major becomes only the third company in the US to successfully refly a reusable hypersonic liquid rocket engine. The milestone places it among a small group of players pushing hypersonic technology toward regular use.
