Ursa Major, a space propulsion startup known for its hypersonic tech and rocket engines, is expanding into the solid rocket motor game with Lynx, its new approach to producing SRMs quickly and flexibly than traditional industrial methods. The company saw the need in the broader industrial base for more solid rocket motors to equip allies and maintain a large enough US stockpile to deter adversaries.
Ursa Major is approaching this market in a different way by building SRMs in a factory that can be easily reconfigured to work on different types of motors. Lynx 101 is the manufacturing process Ursa Major is using rather than an individual motor. It will use additive manufacturing to speed up production, allowing them to produce 1,650 motors per year with just one 3D printer for some smaller SRMs.
Additive manufacturing also boosts flexibility to build multiple platforms from Stinger, Javelin, to a man-portable air-defense system on a single machine in quick succession. Laurienti said that Lynx doesn’t mean Ursa Major is done with space or hypersonics; it will continue both pursuits while benefiting from lessons learned on both the rigorous qualifications process and streamlined production line required for building SRMs.