Ursa Major Leads Rapid Hypersonic Demonstrator Development

The Air Force’s Affordable Rapid Missile Demonstrator (ARMD) program has successfully achieved its first flight, marking a significant milestone in the development of hypersonic capabilities. Ursa Major’s Draper storable liquid engine played a central role in the program, enabling non-cryogenic storage and powered, throttleable flight profiles. According to Katrina Hornstein, program manager at Ursa Major, the company’s approach to the project was designed to be rapid and affordable, with a focus on achieving first flight in under a year. The program’s success was reported by Breaking Defense.