
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
Artemis 2 captures historic 'Earthset' photo | Space photo of the day for April 7, 2026 - 2
A Manual for Nations with Extraordinary Food - 3
The most effective method to Quick Track Your Outcome in Advanced Showcasing with a Web-based Degree - 4
I watched more than 500 new movies this year. These are the 25 best ones. - 5
Agios Pharma shares jump as US FDA expands approval for its blood disorder drug
Jupiter and the moon take a sunset stroll on March 26. Here's how to see it
US FDA approves Kura-Kyowa's blood cancer therapy
Instructions to Boost Your True capacity with a Brain research Degree
The Solution to Individual budget: Dominating Cash The board
Innovative Versatility: Examples of overcoming adversity from Entrepreneurs
Zelensky sees new Russian attack threat from Belarus
A soft launch, an unfollow and a lot of questions: Breaking down the 'Summer House' romance blowing up group chats
Share your number one city visit transport that leaves a mark on the world wake up!
Huge Iranian missile fragments, intercepted by air defenses, lay scattered across Israel, West Bank













