
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
The 25 Most Notable Style Crossroads in History - 2
These HGTV stars made a pledge to keep their kids off smartphones. Here's how it's going. - 3
Well known Tea Brands for Each Tea Sweetheart - 4
Coca-Cola Co. and bottlers to invest in South Africa operations - 5
Watch Blue Origin's huge New Glenn rocket ace its epic landing on a ship at sea (video)
Luigi Mangione‘s lawyers say Bondi’s death penalty decision was tainted by conflict of interest
OpenAI launches ChatGPT Health to connect medical records, wellness apps
How will the universe end?
Hezbollah fires over 600 times at Israel, IDF troops over last 24 hours
How Deforestation Is Reshaping Mosquito-Human Contact
I read 115 books this year. 'Wuthering Heights,' 'Heart the Lover' and 'The House of My Mother' were among my 10 favorites.
Iran warns its ready to open new front in Yemen, close Bab al-Mandab Strait with Houthis
Lecturer who called Israel a terrorist state to remain Plaid Cymru candidate
Monetary Versatility: Get ready for Life's Unforeseen Difficulties













