United Launch Alliance CEO Tory Bruno Abruptly Resigns

Tory Bruno, the CEO of United Launch Alliance, a rival to Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has abruptly resigned after 12 years at the helm. His departure comes at a pivotal moment for the company, as it faces increasing pressure from newer, more agile private spaceflight players. Bruno’s exit is seen as a significant shift, especially given his instrumental role in spearheading ULA’s next-generation rocket, Vulcan. Under Bruno’s leadership, ULA had managed to secure crucial contracts with major players like Amazon for its Leo internet satellites and space startup Astrobotic. The Vulcan rocket, a flagship project aimed at helping ULA keep pace with SpaceX while reducing reliance on Russian rockets, has shown promise.

The company is also exploring ways to make its rockets more reusable or even upgrade them to carry heavier payloads to space. Bruno’s resignation statement reflected a sense of accomplishment, as he noted it had been a “great privilege to lead ULA through its transformation and to bring Vulcan into service.” He expressed confidence in ULA’s future, stating his work was now complete and that he would be “cheering ULA on.” The dynamics of the space launch market have dramatically shifted recently, with SpaceX significantly upping its launch cadence and ← →