
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.
After nearly 12 years leading the United Launch Alliance (ULA), its chief Tory Bruno is stepping down from the U.S. rocket launch provider to pursue "another opportunity," the company announced this week.
What's that new opportunity? We're not sure yet, but it's guaranteed to be "Something interesting," Bruno wrote on social media after the Dec. 22 announcement.
Bruno took the reigns as ULA president and CEO in August 2014, overseeing the company, a collaboration between Lockheed Martin and Boeing, as it launched its Atlas V rockets and retired its Delta rocket family. He oversaw the development of new booster, the Vulcan Centaur rocket, which ULA plans to use as a workhorse vehicle.
During Bruno's term, ULA fought to contend with launch competitor SpaceX, which successfully landed a Falcon 9 booster for the first time in 2015 to lower costs through reusability. SpaceX now regularly launches and lands Falcon 9 rockets and has flown over 160 times this year. ULA eventually hopes to recover and reuse only part of the Vulcan rocket, its BE-4 first stage engines built by Blue Origin.
"It has been a great privilege to lead ULA through its transformation and to bring Vulcan into service. My work here is now complete and I will be cheering ULA on," Bruno wrote on X.
"Finished the mission I came to do," he added. "Great people. Great rocket. New things coming."
In a statement, Robert Lightfoot and Kay Sears, the ULA board chairs for Lockheed Martin and Boeing, respectively, thanked Bruno for over a decade of service.
"We are grateful for Tory’s service to ULA and the country, and we thank him for his leadership," Lightfoot and Sears wrote in the statement.
ULA's board has appointed Boeing veteran John Elbon as interim CEO as the search for a new leader begins.
"We have the greatest confidence in John to continue strengthening ULA’s momentum while the board proceeds with finding the next leader of ULA," Lihtfoot and Sears wrote.
latest_posts
- 1
Attorney-General to High Court: Gov’t violating draft ruling, risking rule of law - 2
The next frontier in space is closer than you think – welcome to the world of very low Earth orbit satellites - 3
What to watch for in weight loss drugs in 2026 - 4
NASA is shooting for the moon. A guide to the Artemis II mission - 5
Manual for Vegetarian Protein Powder
Instructions to Expand Your Advantages from an Open Record Reward
What we know about the Brown University shooting suspect who was found dead, and how police linked him to the MIT killing
Quandoo to shut restaurant booking platform by end of 2026
The Starbucks for Life game is back, along with your chance to win a 'Bearista' cold cup. Here's how to get your paws on one.
How to identify animal tracks, burrows and other signs of wildlife in your neighborhood
Protester climbs on to balcony of Iranian embassy in London
German foreign minister heads to China to talk rare-earth exports
German finance minister seeks better market access in China talks
Here's what can happen if you drive under the influence of pot













