Tory Bruno led United Launch Alliance through a major transition, overseeing the Vulcan rocket’s development and its first flight aimed at competing with SpaceX and reducing U.S. reliance on Russian launch capabilities.

Bruno joined ULA in 2014, succeeding Michael Gass, after a background in the Navy’s Fleet Ballistic Missile program and at Lockheed Martin.

His tenure saw the shift from Atlas 5 and Delta 4 to Vulcan, including securing Blue Origin’s BE-4 engine and guiding Vulcan from development toward its January 2024 debut amid delays that stretched a decade.

ULA’s Vulcan program targeted to remain competitive with SpaceX, with early customers like Astrobotic and Amazon’s Leo constellation, and ongoing work to improve reusability and potentially upgrade payload capacity.

SpaceX emerged as the dominant launch provider during Bruno’s tenure, reshaping market dynamics even as ULA pursued competitive growth and government/private sector opportunities.

Bruno announced his resignation as president and CEO after nearly 12 years, with appreciation from ULA chairs and confirmation that his departure would occur on December 22, 2025.

Elbon’s aerospace experience and launch expertise were highlighted as essential assets to advancing the Vulcan program and serving ULA’s customers during the leadership transition.

Mark Peller was named Chief Operating Officer to support operations and upcoming milestones, working alongside John Elbon.

Boeing and Lockheed Martin, as ULA owners, publicly acknowledged Bruno’s leadership, with Bruno expressing gratitude for guiding a team delivering important national and customer-focused work.

John Elbon was designated interim CEO as the board launches a search for a permanent leader, with Mark Peller continuing as COO and the company maintaining momentum toward Vulcan milestones.

Across Bruno’s leadership, ULA completed 83 orbital launches, including the final Delta 4 Heavy flight in 2024 and Vulcan’s inaugural flight in early 2024.

ULA, a joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin, faced increased competition from SpaceX as the launch market evolved and demanded faster cadence and innovation.