United Launch Alliance (ULA) announced on Monday that Tory Bruno, their chief executive officer and a seasoned figure in the aerospace industry, has resigned from his position. Bruno's leadership, which spanned more than a decade, saw ULA face increasing competition from SpaceX, a company that managed to secure substantial US government launch contracts.
Bruno's abrupt resignation came as a surprise. During his tenure, ULA's share in the launch market diminished as SpaceX's influence grew. Despite these challenges, Bruno successfully launched ULA's new Vulcan rocket, although the company struggled to increase its launch frequency.
Bruno brought a 30-year tenure as an engineer and manager at Lockheed Martin, focusing on ballistic missile programs, before joining ULA as president and CEO in August 2014. His appointment coincided with SpaceX's advancements using the reusable Falcon 9 rocket, challenging ULA's market position.
In his initial year, Bruno announced plans for the Vulcan rocket, marking the start of phasing out ULA's traditional Atlas and Delta launch vehicles. He chose Blue Origin, the burgeoning space company founded by Jeff Bezos, to design the Vulcan's booster engines, over established industry contractors.
This decision to innovate with a new rocket and engine selection proved wise. The Atlas V's reliance on Russian engines became impractical due to geopolitical tensions, and the Delta IV's costs were unsustainable. The Vulcan rocket has been successful across its three flights to date, with Blue Origin’s BE-4 engine receiving positive reviews.
Challenges in Rocket Development
Despite the Vulcan's promise, ULA's ability to reclaim its former market leadership has been limited by making Vulcan fully expendable. While future plans include recovering and reusing its main engines, this does not extend to the full booster. Moreover, the Vulcan's introduction hasn't been entirely smooth. Only one launch occurred this year following US Space Force certification, falling short of Bruno’s aim to execute up to 10 launches with the new vehicle.