Ursa Major opens research center for additive manufacturing and materials

Ursa Major, a U.S. rocket propulsion specialist, is establishing a new research and development center in Youngstown, Ohio, to advance additive manufacturing and materials development technology for liquid and solid rocket motors. The center represents a capital investment of $14.5 million, which includes $4 million in JobsOhio R&D Grant support.

Already operating in Ohio, Ursa Major is now expanding its presence in the Lake to River region. Here, the company will not only manufacture hardware for 3D printing drive systems in the future, but will also increase its workforce from the current three to eighteen employees. This is a significant step to meet the growing demands of US defense contracts.

“The new R&D center in Youngstown takes advantage of Ohio’s manufacturing heritage and uniquely skilled workforce to advance manufacturing in service to our national security,” said Ursa Major CEO Joe Laurienti. “Raw material access, supply chain, and a vibrant additive manufacturing ecosystem as a result of the America Makes program make Youngstown an ideal home for this center.”

Liquid and solid rocket motors are critical to national security and are used in high-performance munitions, hypersonic weapons and space propulsion systems, among other applications.

The new center in Boardman will accelerate the development and qualification of new materials for aerospace additive manufacturing applications. This includes the development of metallic alloys for solid rocket motors and copper and nickel alloys for liquid rocket motors. The center will house multiple laser powder bed fusion 3D printers, state-of-the-art machines that enable unprecedented speed for rapid prototyping and materials research.

“Ursa Major’s R&D center plans in the Mahoning Valley represent Ohio’s strong aerospace and manufacturing legacy and how this state is driving the future of how things are made in America and worldwide,” said JobsOhio President and CEO J.P. Nauseef. “Innovation from Mahoning County is rapidly advancing additive manufacturing technology, and Ursa Major’s investment is an example of how that attracts extraordinary companies.”

With this strategic expansion, Ursa Major demonstrates its commitment to further advancing additive manufacturing and materials development, making a significant contribution to technological innovation and national security.