🚀 Hypersonic engine for missile defense, bulletproof metal foam, drone that lifts 220 pounds of payload

Rocket engine manufacturer Ursa Major is accelerating the development of its Draper engine. The startup has collaborated with US agencies and military contractors to make the engine available in next-generation missile systems.

Ursa Major aims to swiftly complete the testing phase of the Draper liquid rocket engine. The goal is for the engine to be available for missiles forming a part of President Donald Trump’s Iron Dome missile defense system.

Draper’s use of non-cryogenic kerosene peroxide fuel makes it easily deployable, while still enabling it to power missiles in space and in the atmosphere. Let's take a closer look at this Must Read.

Today’s job of the day as featured on jobs.interestingengineering.com:

> Software Engineer SR – Core Banking-Hybrid
> Senior Software Engineer (SAP Development – OTD Billing)

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MUST-READ

🚀 Ursa pitches potent hypersonic engine for Iron Dome missile defense

In 2023, the US Air Force awarded Ursa Major a contract to develop its Draper and Arroway engines.

At the time of that announcement, Ursa Major founder and CEO Joe Laurienti said, “Draper will become the foundation of America’s counter-hypersonic capabilities. Its on-demand launch capability and increased maneuverability make it an ideal hypersonic interceptor and allow it to better simulate hypersonic threats as a target vehicle.”

Since then, the startup successfully has completed a hot fire test campaign of the Draper engine at its facilities in Berthoud, Colorado. Now, the next step is to perform flight tests with Draper.

⚙️ Feather-light bulletproof metal foam with superman-like strength

A new innovative material called Composite Metal Foam (CMF) is finally ready for production after undergoing years of extensive testing.

This material is unlike anything created so far. Notably, CMF combines the strength of steel with the lightness of aluminum. It is resistant to ballistic impacts, fire, and radiation.

Engineer Afsaneh Rabiei of North Carolina State University has been perfecting CMF for over a decade. Advanced Materials Manufacturing (AMM) recently announced they are ready for full-scale production of this metal foam.

🕹️ Video: YouTuber builds colossal drone that could lift 220-pound cargo

Drones have gained prominence in the past few years, and do-it-yourself versions of them are also showing off their amazing capabilities.

One such example of a heavy-lift drone that has amazed netizens in recent days is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that can carry 220 pounds (100 kilograms) of weight.

The UAV was made by Simon Sörensen, who is the owner of the RCLifeOn channel on YouTube. In a recently uploaded video, he shows off the amazing drone made in his home setup that can do the heavy lifting and the process that went behind its making.

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