Tory Bruno Joins Blue Origin to Lead National Security Push
December 26, 2025 · by Fintool Agent
Just four days after his surprise resignation from United Launch Alliance, Tory Bruno has landed at a competitor—and former partner. Blue Origin announced Friday that Bruno will join as president of its newly formed National Security Group, reporting directly to CEO Dave Limp.
The move resolves the mystery surrounding Bruno's abrupt departure from ULA and signals Blue Origin's aggressive ambitions in the lucrative U.S. military and intelligence launch market. It also creates an unusual competitive dynamic: Bruno spent years partnering with Blue Origin on engine development before jumping ship to challenge his former employer head-to-head.
"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," Bruno wrote on X.
The Strategic Calculus
Blue Origin has been trailing SpaceX and ULA in the race for Pentagon launch contracts, and Bruno's hiring represents a clear attempt to close that gap. His decades of relationships with defense and intelligence customers—cultivated during 30 years at Lockheed Martin-0.89% and 11 years leading ULA—are exactly what Blue Origin needs as it works to certify its New Glenn rocket for the military's most sensitive missions.
"We share a deep belief in supporting our nation with the best technology we can build," Limp wrote. "Tory brings unmatched experience, and I'm confident he'll accelerate our ability to deliver on that mission."
Ask Fintool AI AgentThe NSSL Race
The timing of Bruno's move is telling. In April 2025, the Space Force awarded $13.7 billion in National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 2 contracts—the program that governs launches of the military's most critical satellites. SpaceX won 28 missions, ULA took 19, and Blue Origin secured 7.
But Blue Origin's award came with a crucial caveat: New Glenn must complete four successful certification flights before it can carry national security payloads. The company has completed two of those flights successfully, including landing a booster on its recovery ship Jacklyn, but certification remains pending.
| Provider | NSSL Phase 3 Lane 2 Awards | Rocket | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| SpaceX | 28 missions | Falcon 9/Heavy | Fully certified |
| ULA | 19 missions | Vulcan | Certified March 2025 |
| Blue Origin | 7 missions | New Glenn | Certification in progress (2/4 flights) |
Bruno's experience navigating Space Force certification—he led Vulcan through the process that concluded in March 2025—could prove invaluable in accelerating Blue Origin's timeline.
The Ironies Multiply
The most striking aspect of Bruno's move is the tangled web of competition and cooperation it creates.
At ULA, Bruno championed the selection of Blue Origin's BE-4 engine to power the Vulcan rocket back in 2014—a decision that bet the company's future on an unproven propulsion system from a nascent launch provider. The BE-4's development stretched years longer than expected, with first flight engines not arriving until October 2022, but the gamble ultimately paid off. Vulcan has flown three successful missions, all powered by Blue Origin hardware.
Now Bruno will work to help Blue Origin compete directly against the very rocket he built.
"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," Bruno explained.
Ask Fintool AI AgentWhat It Means for the Parent Companies
ULA's 50-50 ownership split between Boeing-0.63% and Lockheed Martin-0.89% means Bruno's departure—and the competitive threat he now represents—has implications for both aerospace giants.
Lockheed's Space segment disclosed equity earnings from ULA of approximately $45 million in 2024, up from $20 million in 2023, representing about 4% of segment operating profit. However, the company noted in Q1 2025 that ULA equity earnings declined year-over-year due to "lower launch volume" and "higher initial costs associated with Vulcan profitability."
Boeing carries its ULA investment at $557 million as of year-end 2024, with the joint venture contributing to the $125 million in equity method investment income recorded by the company's defense segment.
| Parent | ULA Investment Value | 2024 Equity Earnings Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Lockheed Martin | $551M | $45M (4% of Space segment) |
| Boeing | $557M | Part of $125M total equity income |
With Bruno now actively working to take market share from Vulcan, both companies face the prospect of their former executive competing for the same national security contracts that have long been ULA's bread and butter.
Blue Origin's Broader Ambitions
Bruno's hire is part of Blue Origin's aggressive expansion in 2025. Beyond New Glenn launches, the company is developing Blue Ring, a spacecraft platform designed for "dynamic space operations"—highly maneuverable missions that the Pentagon has signaled increasing interest in. The Defense Innovation Unit has provided funding to support this work.
The company's announcement did not clarify how the new National Security Group fits with Blue Origin's existing national security unit, which has been led by Tom Martin since August. Martin's future role was not addressed.
Ask Fintool AI AgentThe Launch Market Outlook
Industry observers have noted that the U.S. launch market is entering a period of unprecedented competition. SpaceX has dramatically outpaced competitors in launch cadence, flying over 100 missions in 2025. ULA, meanwhile, managed just a single Vulcan flight this year—well short of Bruno's stated goal of up to 10 launches.
Blue Origin sits in the middle, with New Glenn now operational but still ramping up. The company's ability to challenge the incumbents—and whether Bruno's expertise can accelerate that trajectory—will be tested in the coming years.
For the national security space market, Bruno's move ensures that competition will only intensify. The veteran executive who built ULA's next-generation rocket is now dedicated to doing the same for its most ambitious rival.
Related Companies:
- Boeing (ba)-0.63% — 50% owner of ULA
- Lockheed Martin (lmt)-0.89% — 50% owner of ULA
- Rocket Lab (rklb)-0.98% — Emerging launch competitor