Ursa Major Appoints New CEO: What the Leadership Change Means for 3D Printed Rocket Engines

Leadership Transition at Ursa Major

Ursa Major, the Colorado-based company building 3D printed rocket engines, has appointed Chris Spagnoletti as its new CEO. He replaces Dan Jablonsky, who led the company through a period of significant growth over the past several years.

Who Is Chris Spagnoletti?

Spagnoletti brings extensive experience in aerospace and manufacturing to the role. His background includes leadership positions at major defence and aerospace contractors, giving him the expertise needed to scale Ursa Major from a pioneering startup to a production-focused business.

The appointment signals a shift towards operational maturity — moving from R&D breakthroughs to reliable, repeatable manufacturing of rocket engines.

What Ursa Major Does

Ursa Major specialises in liquid rocket engines for small satellites and hypersonic applications. Their engines are almost entirely 3D printed, which dramatically reduces production time and cost compared to traditional manufacturing.

Their flagship engines include:

• Hadley — a 5,000 lbf oxygen-rich staged combustion engine
• Ripley — a larger engine designed for medium-lift rockets
• Draper — a hypersonic engine for defence applications

Why This Matters for 3D Printing

Ursa Major is one of the most visible success stories for metal additive manufacturing in aerospace. Their engines demonstrate that 3D printing is not just for prototypes — it can produce flight-ready hardware at scale.

The company uses direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) to print complex internal channels that would be impossible to machine traditionally. This allows for more efficient combustion and lighter overall engine weight.

What Changes Under New Leadership

With Spagnoletti at the helm, expect Ursa Major to focus on:

• Production scaling — increasing manufacturing capacity to meet growing demand
• Defence contracts — expanding their hypersonic engine work for military applications
• Reliability certification — proving their engines for repeated, reliable use

The Bigger Picture

The space industry is in the middle of a manufacturing revolution. Companies like Ursa Major, Relativity Space, and Rocket Lab are proving that 3D printing belongs on the launchpad, not just in the prototype lab.

As these companies mature, the question shifts from can we 3D print a rocket engine to how many can we print per month. That transition from craft to production is exactly what Spagnoletti has been hired to manage.

The Bottom Line

Ursa Major leadership change is a sign of a maturing industry. 3D printed rocket engines have moved from experimental to operational, and the company is positioning itself to capture a growing slice of the small satellite launch and hypersonic markets.