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Former Northrop Grumman CEO Ronald Sugar And Ex-CIA Venture Chief Gilman Louie Join Ursa Major Board To Scale Hypersonic Defense Tech
Yahoo Financeยท 2025-10-09 20:31
Core Insights - Ursa Major is increasing production of hypersonic engines, solid rocket motors, and space-based defense systems for the U.S. military and allies, with recent appointments to its board aimed at accelerating this mission [1][2]. Company Developments - The company appointed Dr. Ronald Sugar and Gilman Louie to its board on October 2, 2023, to leverage their expertise in aerospace and national security [1]. - Dr. Ronald Sugar, former chair and CEO of Northrop Grumman, is currently on Apple's board and chairs Uber's board, bringing decades of experience in advanced defense and aerospace technologies [2]. - Gilman Louie, a veteran technology investor and former CEO of In-Q-Tel, has extensive knowledge in national security innovation and has been involved in guiding startups through critical scaling phases [3][4]. Technological Advancements - Ursa Major is recognized for advancing next-generation propulsion technology, including liquid engines at hypersonic speeds and innovative additive manufacturing for solid rocket motors [3]. - The company claims to be the first U.S. firm to successfully fire an oxygen-rich staged combustion engine, a feat previously achieved only by Russian manufacturers [5]. - Ursa Major's flagship Hadley engine has powered multiple hypersonic missions, achieving sustained speeds above Mach 5 and completing over 100 engine deliveries with more than 100,000 seconds of hot-fire testing [6].