Ursa Major is an American aerospace and defense engine manufacturer developing high-performance, reusable rocket engines for space launch and hypersonic applications. The company provides turnkey propulsion solutions that reduce development timelines for launch companies, defense contractors, and government programs. Its liquid-fuel engine families support small to medium payload launch vehicles and hypersonic test platforms. With vertically integrated production and rapid test cycles, Ursa Major enables faster innovation in propulsion technology for commercial, civil, and national security missions.
What Is Ursa Major and What Does It Do?
Ursa Major, founded in 2015 by Joe Laurienti, is a Colorado-based aerospace manufacturer specializing in advanced rocket propulsion systems for commercial space companies and U.S. government programs.
The company develops high-performance, reusable liquid rocket engines designed for launch vehicles, hypersonic systems, and defense applications—manufactured through additive production and rapid test iteration.
Ursa Major employs between 201–500 employees, delivering propulsion-as-a-service to accelerate aerospace innovation and support the growing demand for more responsive space access.
Its platform includes engine development, hot-fire testing, integration support, and mission-tailored propulsion solutions for launch and defense customers.
How Much Funding Has Ursa Major Raised?
1. Seed Round
- Amount Raised: $15.5M
- Motivation: Early development of propulsion R&D and test infrastructure.
2. Series A
- Amount Raised: $8M
- Lead Investors: Space Capital, Alsop Louie Partners, Dolby Family Ventures, Blue Ivy Ventures
- Motivation: Scale engine prototypes and expand engineering teams.
3. Series B
- Amount Raised: $25.3M (approx.)
- Lead Investors: Conconi Growth Partners, Space Capital, Morgan Brook Capital, Alpha Edison, Marc Bell Capital
- Motivation: Support development of production-ready engines.
4. Series C
- Amount Raised: $85M
- Lead Investors: BlackRock, XN, Explorer 1 Fund, Alsop Louie Partners
- Motivation: Ramp engine production and expand test facilities.
5. Series D + D-1
- Amount Raised: $138M
- Lead Investors: Explorer 1 Fund, Eclipse, RTX Ventures
- Motivation: Accelerate development of hypersonic propulsion platforms.
6. Series E
- Amount Raised: $100M
- Lead Investors: Eclipse, Woodline Partners, Principia Growth, XN, Alsop Louie Partners
- Motivation: Scale manufacturing for next-gen rocket engines supporting commercial and national defense programs.
Total Funding Raised: $371.8 Million
Latest Funding Date: November, 2025
Key Investors
1. Eclipse
- Details: A leading deep-tech venture firm backing industrial, aerospace, and defense technologies.
- Investment Focus Areas: Aerospace, robotics, manufacturing, frontier tech.
- Notable Investments: Anduril, Machina Labs, Arc, Ursa Major.
2. BlackRock
- Details: One of the world’s largest asset managers investing across public and private markets.
- Investment Focus Areas: Aerospace, energy, industrial tech, advanced manufacturing.
- Notable Investments: SpaceX, Boom Supersonic, Relativity Space, Ursa Major.
3. Explorer 1 Fund
- Details: Venture fund specializing in space and deep-tech companies pushing frontier innovation.
- Investment Focus Areas: Space technology, propulsion, sensing, aerospace.
- Notable Investments: Ursa Major, Xona Space Systems, Varda Space.
4. RTX Ventures
- Details: Corporate venture arm of RTX (Raytheon), investing in next-gen aerospace and defense technologies.
- Investment Focus Areas: Defense tech, propulsion, sensors, aerospace systems.
- Notable Investments: Ursa Major, Hermeus, Firefly Aerospace.
Where Is Ursa Major’s Headquarters?
Ursa Major is headquartered in Berthoud, Colorado (United States), benefiting from proximity to aerospace engineering talent, dedicated test infrastructure, and a growing regional space-tech ecosystem. The location allows the company to maintain secure test operations while keeping manufacturing costs efficient for large-scale engine production.
What’s Next for Ursa Major?
Ursa Major is expected to scale mass production of its rocket engines, expand propulsion offerings for hypersonic and defense programs, and strengthen partnerships with major aerospace primes. Following its $100M Series E, the company is targeting higher-thrust engines, rapid-response propulsion for national security, and expanded test operations to meet rising commercial and government demand for faster, modular access to space.
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