Ursa Major
Ursa Major Leadership & Management
Frequently Asked Questions
Leaders and key stakeholders at Ursa Major establish objectives and key results (OKR’s) that reflect the overall organizational goals of the company. Those OKR’s are implemented into goals for individual teams, communicated by leaders, ensuring that every team and individual understand how they can contribute to the success of Ursa Major. Teams also have the ability to determine their own additional OKR’s with leadership to support broader goals and objectives of the company. Monthly company-wide all hands meetings allow leadership to share goals, progress, opportunities, and challenges while fostering an environment to give recognition to those team members who showcase our values and help Ursa Major achieve its mission.
Leaders at Ursa Major set clear, ambitious goals that align with our mission to deliver advanced aerospace and defense technologies. Through regular communication and setting clear goals our leadership team ensures all employees understand the company’s direction and priorities. Leaders are approachable and actively seek input from teams, fostering an environment where innovative ideas are supported and where everyone is connected to the broader vision for success. Ursa Major’s OKR’s, which are outlined at the beginning of the year, roll down to individual teams within the organization and are reviewed in the monthly all-hands meetings to provide transparency on progress toward organizational goals.
Ursa Major Employee Perspectives
Ursa Major has expanded its executive team bringing decades of aerospace expertise to ramp up production as the company continues its evolution from development programs to full-scale production to deliver mission-critical capabilities. Jason Meredith comes to Ursa Major with more than two decades of experience in the aerospace and defense industries where he served as a Vice President, and he previously worked for Orbital ATK and Pratt & Whitney Justin Siebert served in multiple roles for Fortune 100 and private equity-backed organizations across the aerospace, defense, and space sectors, including large launch space propulsion. He was previously the COO of ArmorWorks LLC, and prior to that held leadership roles at Firefly Aerospace, BAE Systems, Magellan Aerospace, and Honeywell Aerospace.
Ursa Major has appointed Chris Spagnoletti as Chief Executive Officer. Spagnoletti, who joined Ursa Major in 2022 and most recently served as President of Liquid Systems, brings over 30 years of experience in aerospace leadership, engineering, and operations, including roles at U.S. Cargo Systems. Since joining Ursa Major, he has helped advance the company’s hypersonic and space programs, contributing to key milestones such as multiple hypersonic flights, development of the Draper engine, and the launch of solid rocket motor and in-space propulsion businesses. The Board unanimously selected Spagnoletti for his proven leadership, operational rigor, and vision for scaling Ursa Major in its next phase of growth.
What People Are Saying About Ursa Major
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Strategic Vision & Planning: Leadership consistently articulates a clear direction centered on scaling hypersonics, solid rocket motors, and space mobility with affordable, high‑rate U.S. production. Company materials describe a 10‑year scaling plan and an evolution from propulsion provider to integrator, with internal and external messaging aligned to these pillars.
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Strong Execution: Program milestones—such as successful, reusable Hadley hypersonic flights and a modular SRM line operating mixed‑model production with audits and higher test cadence—show follow‑through on the stated “fly/refly/scale” approach. Additional defense‑oriented efforts around Draper and Navy SRM work reinforce momentum against the plan.
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Open & Transparent Communication: Objectives and Key Results are used to translate organizational priorities to teams, and progress is discussed in monthly company‑wide all‑hands. Leaders are described as approachable and seeking input, connecting day‑to‑day work to the broader mission.
Ursa Major's Benefits
Hosts in-person all-hands meetings
Implements team-based strategic planning
Open office floor plan to encourage communication and collaboration
Uses an OKR operational model to clearly define goals and priorities
Utilizes an open door policy that encourages accessibility
