Tory Bruno to lead new Blue Origin national security unit

WASHINGTON — Tory Bruno has joined Blue Origin as president of a new “National Security Group” reporting directly to CEO Dave Limp, the Jeff Bezos-backed firm announced today.

“Excited to join the team,” Bruno posted on X following the announcement.

Bruno on Dec. 22 announced he was leaving United Launch Alliance (ULA) — a joint venture between aerospace and defense behemoths Boeing and Lockheed Martin — after nearly a decade as president and CEO.

Blue Origin has been trailing rivals ULA and SpaceX in the race to launch lucrative national security payloads.

While the Space Force in April gave Blue Origin an initial award allowing it to compete for National Security Space Launch Program (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 2 launch contracts between fiscal years 2025 and 2029, its New Glenn heavy lifter has yet to complete its program of launches required for NSSL flight certification. SpaceX and ULA, which have both already successfully been certified, also received initial awards.

NSSL Phase 3 Lane 2 launches carry high-value, must-go payloads and/or those headed to orbits that are more difficult to achieve. Space Systems Command (SSC) usually contracts for NSSL launches two years in advance, so the contract awards would cover missions actually lofted between fiscal 2027 and FY31.

Blue Origin on Nov. 13 successfully completed New Glenn’s second of four-planned NSSL qualification launches. The company has not released a planned schedule for the next two.

The company’s announcement did not explain how the new National Security Group would change, if at all, Blue Origin’s current organization and/or practices under its national security unit headed since August by Tom Martin. Nor did it address Martin’s future role.

In response to a query from Breaking Defense, a spokesperson for the company declined to provide any further details beyond the announcement.