
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
Reporter's Notebook: The Post embeds with foreign armies visiting the IDF - 2
EU health regulator urges immediate vaccinations amid early surge in flu cases - 3
These HGTV stars made a pledge to keep their kids off smartphones. Here's how it's going. - 4
Vote In favor of Your Favored Pizza Cover - 5
IDF strikes Hamas terror base in Lebanon, Health Ministry says 11 killed
Getting breast implants was a mistake I live with every day. Why I’m sharing my story now, at 70, in pain and afraid.
‘More should be done’: UN pushes Syrian regime on justice for Druze, Alawites and minority groups
Getting through a Lifelong Change: Individual Examples of overcoming adversity
CDC changes kids' vaccine schedule, removing universal recommendation for some shots
Ergonomic Office Seats for Work spaces
Island Travel Guide: Must-Visit Objections for 2024
Amazon sued over 'punitive' handling of employee absences
Far-right AfD invited back to Munich Security Conference in 2026
The Most Moving TED Talks You Want to Watch













