Search

Air Force Flight Tests Affordable Missile Demonstrator With Ursa Major Engine

Air Force Flight Tests Affordable Missile Demonstrator With Ursa Major Engine
The Affordable Rapid Missile Demonstrator sits staged for flight on Jan. 27, 2026. The missile was positioned on a specialized air log cart, used to transport and load the vehicle onto the Transportable Target Launcher. The flight was a key milestone in increasing the technology readiness level of the Draper liquid rocket engine. (U.S. Army photo by Ryan Harty)

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) on Thursday said it recently conducted a first flight test of the Affordable Rapid Missile Demonstrator (ARMD) powered by Ursa Major’s Draper liquid rocket engine--an event that raised the technology readiness level (TRL) of the propulsion system to TRL 7. The flight reached supersonic speeds and demonstrated concepts of operations, the Air Force and company said. A spokesperson for the lab said the test occurred on March 6 "at an undisclosed location." Ursa Major…

Subscriber-only content. Please log in below.

Not a subscriber or registered user yet?

Please contact us at clientservices@accessintel.com or call us at 888-707-5814 (Monday – Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. and Friday 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. ET.), to start a free trial, get pricing information, order a reprint, or post an article link on your website.



Congress Updates

Guetlein On Golden Dome: ‘We Cannot Protect This Nation And Bankrupt It At The Same Time’

While there has been criticism among missile defense advocates of Golden Dome’s development pace after the signing of an executive order in January last year, Space Force Gen. Michael Guetlein, […]


Interview with Rep. Jeff Crank (R-Colo.), co-chair of the Golden Dome Caucus

Rep. Jeff Crank (R-Colo.), a co-chair of the Golden Dome Caucus in Congress and a member of the House Armed Services Committee’s strategic forces panel, discusses the transformative defense investments […]


Space Force PAE For Infrastructure Completing Move To Colorado Springs

U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command’s (SSC) Portfolio Acquisition Executive (PAE) for infrastructure–a $4 billion contracting hub for SSC–is completing a move from Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif. to […]


Wisconsin GOP Lawmakers Urge Trump Admin Support For Marines’ JLTV Second Supplier Effort

Wisconsin’s GOP congressional delegation is urging the Trump administration to support legislative language enabling the Marine Corps to potentially bring in a second Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) supplier. The […]