Former ULA chief Bruno joins Blue Origin
SANTA FE, N.M. - Tory Bruno, who recently stepped down as chief executive of United Launch Alliance, is joining Blue Origin as head of the company's new national security business unit.
Blue Origin announced Dec. 26 on social media that it hired Bruno as president of national security, reporting to Chief Executive Dave Limp. Bruno "will spearhead our newly formed National Security Group," the company said.
"We share a deep belief in supporting our nation with the best technology we can build," Limp said in his own post announcing the hire. "Tory brings unmatched experience, and I'm confident he'll accelerate our ability to deliver on that mission."
The announcement came four days after ULA said Bruno had resigned to pursue another, unspecified opportunity. Bruno had served as ULA's chief executive since 2014, and his departure surprised many in the industry.
"We are going to bring important, innovative and urgently needed capabilities to our nation. Can't wait to get started," Bruno wrote in response to Limp's post.
Subscribe TodayGet unlimited access to SpaceNews.com and our digital magazine with a monthly, quarterly or annual subscription.
Discounted Access Learn more about savings available for academic, government and military readers on SpaceNews subscriptions.
Bruno joins a company that has been both a partner and a competitor to ULA. Shortly after becoming ULA's chief executive in 2014, he announced an agreement with Blue Origin to purchase the company's BE-4 engine for ULA's next-generation launch vehicle, later named Vulcan.
The two companies have since become competitors in the launch market. In 2022, both companies, along with Arianespace, shared what was then described as the largest commercial launch order in history from Amazon for its broadband constellation, now known as Amazon Leo. ULA won a contract for 38 Vulcan launches, while Blue Origin received a contract for 12 New Glenn launches, with an option for 15 more.
Both companies have also competed for national security launch contracts. In April, the U.S. Space Force awarded $13.7 billion in launch contracts under its National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 2 procurement. Blue Origin won awards for seven New Glenn launches and ULA for 19 Vulcan launches; both trailed SpaceX, which won 28 launches.
Blue Origin has increasingly focused on national security business. In addition to its New Glenn launch vehicle, the company has received funding from the Defense Innovation Unit to support work on Blue Ring, its spacecraft platform designed to host large payloads and perform highly maneuverable missions. The company sees potential national security applications for Blue Ring amid military interest in "dynamic space operations," in which spacecraft maneuver freely to carry out missions or avoid potential threats.
Bruno did not outline specific plans or priorities for national security work at Blue Origin but suggested he saw a new opportunity after completing the goals he set for himself at ULA.
"I came to ULA to save it from closing back in 2017, field Vulcan, and put it on a solid path. Did that. My duty was complete," he wrote in one post. "There is a new set of national security capabilities that need to be created ASAP. Blue is the best place for me to serve that mission."
Vielen Dank, dass Sie den Artikel gelesen haben! Beobachten Sie uns unter Google Nachrichten.
