Dr. Ronald Sugar and Gilman Louie join Ursa Major’s Board of Directors
BERTHOUD, Colo. — Oct 2, 2025— Ursa Major today announced the appointment of , continuing the company’s growth path to becoming a key provider of hypersonics, solid rocket motors, in-space propulsion, and launch systems.
“We’re excited to be working with Ron and Gilman to rapidly innovate and scale capabilities for the defense industrial base,” said Dan Jablonsky, CEO of Ursa Major. “We’re adding unmatched leadership in aerospace and national defense innovation and gaining strategic insight that will help us solve the most urgent challenges facing the United States and our allies.”
Dr. Sugar is a former Chairman and CEO of Northrop Grumman and currently serves on the Board of Directors of Apple and as Chairman of Uber. A physicist and engineer by training, he brings decades of experience scaling advanced defense and aerospace technologies.
“Ursa Major is ushering in much-needed next-generation propulsion technology for the aerospace and defense industry,” said Dr. Sugar. “From demonstrating liquid engines at hypersonic speeds to applying additive manufacturing in new ways for solid rocket motors, the company is just getting started, and I look forward to being part of their exciting future.”
Louie is a veteran technology investor and former CEO of In-Q-Tel, the CIA’s venture capital arm, and he is the co-founder and partner at Alsop Louie Partners. He currently serves on the boards of several technology companies and has deep expertise in national security innovation and the startup-to-scale-up journey.
“Alsop Louie has backed Ursa Major for years, and I’ve seen firsthand how quickly they’ve advanced critical propulsion and rocket technologies,” said Louie. “Joining the board is an opportunity to help accelerate that trajectory as Ursa Major works to deliver critical systems to the warfighter and reshapes the defense industrial base.”
About Ursa Major
Ursa Major is an aerospace and defense company delivering flight-proven capabilities for hypersonics, solid rocket motors, in-space propulsion, and launch. Headquartered in Berthoud, Colorado, with additive manufacturing operations in Youngstown, Ohio, Ursa Major leverages advanced production techniques and flexible architectures to build systems for all domains: land, air, sea, and space. The company is revitalizing the defense industrial base for the U.S. and its allies, flying faster to accelerate delivery of critical capabilities where speed and adaptability matter most. For more information, visit www.ursamajor.com.
