
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
'Stranger Things' series finale trailer shows Hawkins gang gearing up for last battle with Vecna - 2
How C-reactive protein outpaced ‘bad’ cholesterol as leading heart disease risk marker - 3
IDF destroys two-kilometer-long Gaza terror tunnel in Beit Lahiya - 4
Tech Patterns: Contraptions That Will Shape What's in store - 5
Explainer-What Novo Nordisk's weight-loss pill approval means for company, patients
Tehran defends ship seizure as a legal action, but tensions continue in the Gulf
Hoist Your Style: Famous Hairdos for Ladies
Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS to pass closest to Earth on Friday
The most effective method to Shield Your Gold Ventures: Procedures and Precautionary measures
Step by step instructions to Guarantee the Life span of Your Dental Inserts: Support and Care Guide
Support Your Body: A Manual for Smart dieting and Sustenance
5 VIP Voice Exhibitions in Energized Movies
Whale stranded off Germany for days is stuck again
‘Everybody Loves Raymond: 30th Anniversary Reunion’ premiere date: How to watch, channel, time, cast and more













