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Exquadrum
Eric Schmidt
President
760-530-7922
eric.schmidt@exquadrum.com
Exquadrum Awarded $5 Million in Missile Defense Agency R&D Funding
Exquadrum will be demonstrating the highest performing controllable solid rocket technology
VICTORVILLE, California, 24 October 2025 – Exquadrum, Inc. of Victorville, California has been awarded $5 million in research and development (R&D) funding by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA). This latest round of funding will result in the demonstration of the highest performing, controllable solid rocket motor propulsion technology to date, which is based on Exquadrum’s patented liquid augmented solid rocket (LASR) technology, and thrusters based on the newly developed and demonstrated solid divert and attitude control system (SDACS). Both technologies have been chosen due to their potential impact to MDA’s future Golden Dome program.
With these newest MDA contracts, Exquadrum’s innovative propulsion systems are being moved passed development and into flight. Exquadrum’s Chief Executive Officer, Kevin Mahaffy, stated, “MDA continues to be Exquadrum’s most aggressive customer for funding truly leading-edge rocket propulsion technologies. This latest round of funding will result in the flight demonstration of the highest performing, controllable solid rocket motor propulsion technology the world has ever seen.”
During the multi-year R&D efforts, the Exquadrum team will manufacture and launch a high-performance, fully reusable sounding rocket named ULTRA-VK (ULTRA von Kármán), capable of achieving sub-orbital apogees above the 100 km international space boundary also known as the “von Kármán line”. In addition, the team will demonstrate the feasibility of a low-cost and affordable SDACS while retaining superior performance. Both technologies have direct applicability toward meeting MDA objectives for hypersonic missile defense.
Chief Technology Officer, Elias Wilson, said, “Thanks to MDA, 2026 is going to be Exquadrum’s most exciting year ever as we flight-demonstrate these advanced solid rocket propulsion technologies in the exo-atmospheric realm of space, beyond the von Kármán Line.” The advancement of these propulsion capabilities to higher Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) will begin with static demonstrations at Exquadrum’s FORGE Rocket Test Facility located at the Southern California Logistics Airport (SCLA) in Victorville, California. The flight testing will then follow onboard Exquadrum’s 21-inch, ULTRA-VK Hypersonic Sounding Rocket. The project team is currently conducting a trade study to determine the most advantageous test range for the missile launches.
Once these flight demonstration campaigns are completed, Exquadrum’s advanced, controllable solid rocket motor propulsion technologies will be ready to transition to applications such as missile defense, air defense, low-cost/long-range missiles, and the precision insertion of satellites into Earth’s orbit.
