HIBT Lab! Ursa Major: Joe Laurienti
Joe Laurienti, founder and CEO of Ursa Major, explains how he leveraged his experience at SpaceX and Blue Origin to launch a company focused on 3D-printed rocket engines in 2015. He details the strategic decision to use additive manufacturing to reduce part count and cost, the company's early adoption of off-the-shelf metals before developing proprietary alloys, and the rapid 'fail fast' testing philosophy that defined their prototype development. Laurienti also discusses the geopolitical shift following the 2014 Russian invasion of Crimea, which created a domestic supply gap for rocket engines, and Ursa Major's current role in supporting both commercial space launches and U.S. hypersonic defense programs.