Home Industry 3D printing drives the development of modern rocket engines

3D printing drives the development of modern rocket engines

Raytheon, an RTX company, and propulsion specialist Ursa Major have successfully completed the test flight of a new long-range solid rocket motor for the US Army. This development, based on digital engineering, accelerates design and manufacturing processes and demonstrates the role of innovative manufacturing technologies such as 3D printing in the modern defense industry.

The new rocket engine combines low-cost component technologies with precision manufacturing methods to create affordable precision weapons with extended ranges.

“These long-range solid rocket motors will allow the U.S. Army and allies to strike farther and faster than anything our adversaries have in their arsenals,” said Tom Laliberty, president of Land and Air Defense Systems at Raytheon. “This long-range rocket motor technology fills the essential role of providing affordable precision fires, while increasing range, safety, and magazine depth.”

Ursa Major relies on additive manufacturing to significantly shorten development and test cycles. In 2023, the company conducted nearly 300 static test firings, a pace that traditional approaches could hardly match.

“The Ursa Major team has utilized additive manufacturing to complete motor development, manufacturing, and testing in unprecedented timelines, resulting in nearly 300 static test fires this year,” said Ursa Major CEO Dan Jablonsky.  “The innovative manufacturing techniques we employ are yielding agile solid rocket motor solutions with the design flexibility needed to expand the capabilities of the U.S. military. Ursa Major is poised to scale the production of higher-performing solid rocket motors at the pace and volume the country requires and at a price the country can afford.”

RTX Ventures, the investment arm of RTX, has invested in Ursa Major in 2023 to advance the development of new rocket motor technologies. The aim is to meet the US Army’s requirements for affordable and precision-guided munitions. The next step is to implement improvements in production before further flight tests take place in 2025 and qualification of the system for deployment is to be completed in 2026.

This collaboration demonstrates how additive manufacturing combined with digital engineering is transforming the development process of complex systems and setting new standards for efficiency and flexibility.


Subscribe to our Newsletter

3DPresso is a weekly newsletter that links to the most exciting global stories from the 3D printing and additive manufacturing industry.

Privacy Policy*
 

You can find the privacy policy for the newsletter here. You can unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time. For further questions, you can contact us here.