Rocket engine manufacturer Ursa Major and Sirius Technologies—the U.S. subsidiary of Tokyo-based Innovative Space Carrier (ISC)—have entered into a new agreement for the purchase of ten Hadley small launch engines, which feature components produced using 3D printing. The partnership also includes a collaborative effort to develop a medium-lift engine based on Ursa Major’s larger Arroway model, with most of its parts also incorporating 3D printing technology.
“The partnership ISC/Sirius and Ursa Major have forged is a truly special and powerful collaboration between two young, but incredibly agile and innovative companies,” said Ursa Major CEO Dan Jablonsky. “Our teams in Berthoud, Colorado, and our advanced manufacturing center of excellence in Youngstown, Ohio, are proud to deliver our signature Hadley engines… and advance the development of medium-launch propulsion technology.”
New U.S.-Japan Space Cooperation
The collaboration follows the U.S. Department of State’s approval of a technical assistance agreement, allowing the export of specific technical data related to the Hadley engine, which was purchased by ISC/Sirius in March 2024. The companies described the approval as a landmark event—among the first of its kind in over a generation between American and Japanese space technology firms.
According to ISC/Sirius, Ursa Major was selected based on its manufacturing capabilities and its ability to align with the development timeline of the ASCA reusable space vehicle, which is scheduled for a test flight in the United States later in 2025. In a press release, the companies stated that the planned development of a medium-lift engine, derived from Ursa Major’s Arroway platform, will continue through 2028. During later stages, ISC/Sirius and Ursa Major intend to implement manufacturing improvements to support additional testing activities.
“This aligns with the commitment made during the U.S.-Japan summit in February between the two governments to strengthen cooperation in the commercial space sector,” the companies stated. “We truly believe that advancing concrete collaboration between private companies like ours will deepen the U.S.-Japan relationship further. Moving forward, we will work closely with Ursa Major to achieve our goal of conducting a flight test of ASCA 1.0 in the U.S. later this year.”
Ursa Major’s Propulsion Systems: Hadley and Arroway
Ursa Major is a privately funded U.S. company focused exclusively on rocket propulsion systems, using advanced digital tools and additive manufacturing to rapidly produce high-performance, cost-effective engines.
The company’s Hadley engine is its flagship product and the first U.S.-built oxygen-rich staged combustion engine to undergo hot fire testing. Designed for small launch vehicles, Hadley delivers 5,000 pounds of thrust and is engineered for versatility across launch, hypersonic, and orbital applications.
Meanwhile, the Arroway engine represents Ursa Major’s next-generation platform for medium-lift missions. Set to be capable of 200,000 pounds of thrust, the new system is designed so that most of its parts can be 3D printed, enabling its rapid iteration during development, and its future production to be scaled where needed.
Ursa Major’s Track Record of Collaboration
In 2024, Ursa Major, in collaboration with Virginia-based Raytheon Technologies, successfully completed missile flight testing of a long-range solid rocket motor (SRM) for the U.S. Army. The SRM was manufactured using Ursa Major’s proprietary Lynx 3D printing technology, which—combined with Raytheon’s digital engineering expertise—enabled the teams to accelerate development timelines and reduce production costs.
In another initiative, Ursa Major secured $12.5 million in funding from the U.S. Navy and the Office of Strategic Capital (OSC) to scale the production of 3D printed SRMs. Through the prototype project agreement, the company is designing, manufacturing, and testing a new SRM prototype for critical missiles. This followed the news that the company is 3D printing the Navy’s Mk 104 dual rocket motor, which powers the SM-2, SM-3, and SM-6 missiles.
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Featured image shows Hadley propulsion system. Photo via: Ursa Major.
