Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Tory Bruno
The AI aircraft debate rages, but both sides are wrong
For the past several years, the Pentagon has made broad commitments to integrating AI into our defense systems as a strategic necessity. The United States Air Force has even said it wants thousands of AI-driven “loyal wingman” type aircraft designed to support human pilots rather than fully replace them. Defense companies across the spectrum have rolled out solutions, demonstrating that we have the technology to fly fully autonomously.
Nuclear thermal propulsion shapes the future of America's dominance in space
OPINION: The race to develop nuclear propulsion isn’t just about reaching Mars; it’s also an important next step in our battle for space dominance. NASA is developing two options: nuclear thermal propulsion and nuclear electric propulsion. Although both hold important roles in the future of spaceflight, nuclear thermal propulsion has greater implications for our national security posture in space. First, what is nuclear thermal propulsion? It’s a rocket engine that doesn’t burn its propellant.
America’s Nuclear Weapons Neglect Invites a New Age of Peril
Tory Bruno The Washington Times October 29, 2025 While Washington preached restraint, Russia and China rebuilt their arsenals and rewrote the balance of power Read Full Article » Show comments Hide Comments Related Articles
America's nuclear weapons neglect invites a new age of peril
OPINION: Over the span of decades, America established a stable environment that controlled the types, quantities and deterrent role of nuclear weapons. Its hallmarks were frequent and open dialogue, comprehensive agreements and a mutual interest in nonproliferation. This was accomplished thoughtfully and consistently, using diplomacy, alliances, direct military-to-military engagement and a carefully crafted deployment of real capabilities that represented a credible but balanced show of strength.
Rockets, Politics, and Power: A Conversation with Tory Bruno of ULA
Tory Bruno, president and CEO of United Launch Alliance, joins us to talk about the hard business of getting things into space. He reflects on competition, what it took to turn ULA around, the politics of building new rockets, and what assured access to space means in the new era of great-power competition. Image: NOAA Satellite & Information Service and United Launch Alliance via Wikimedia Commons
A Tale of Two Rockets
It was the best of burn times; it was the worst of burn times… For those of you familiar with Charles Dickens’ frothy novel of a similar title, set in Paris amid the French Revolution, telling the story of loss, reunion, and social justice, I promise this essay will be just as riveting and philosophically important… particularly if you are a true Space Nerd.
A Tale of Two Rockets
Tory Bruno RealClearDefense September 15, 2025 It was the best of burn times; it was the worst of burn times… Read Full Article » Show comments Hide Comments Related Articles
A Tale of Two Rockets
It was the best of burn times; it was the worst of burn times… For those of you familiar with Charles Dickens’ frothy novel of a similar title, set in Paris amid the French Revolution, telling the story of loss, reunion, and social justice, I promise this essay will be just as riveting and philosophically important… particularly if you are a true Space Nerd.
A Tale of Two Rockets
It was the best of burn times; it was the worst of burn times… For those of you familiar with Charles Dickens’ frothy novel of a similar title, set in Paris amid the French Revolution, telling the story of loss, reunion, and social justice, I promise this essay will be just as riveting and philosophically important… particularly if you are a true Space Nerd. kAm}@H s:4<6?D ?6G6C HC@E6 23@FE C@4<6ED[ 3FE :7 96 925[ 96 H@F=5 92G6 C6>:?565 FD E92E 5:776C6?E G69:4=6D 2C6 @7E6?
A Strategic National Security Imperative
By Tory Bruno Assured Access to space requires the Space Force to maintain more than one way for America to get to space. It is more than just the law; it's a strategic necessity. For many years, through many Administrations, Congress has required the Air Force, and now the Space Force, to maintain more than one operating space launch vehicle able to reach all of America's national security orbits.
Assured access to space is a national security imperative
Do you consent to these personal data processing activities by us and our partners? Store and/or access information on a device Precise geolocation data, and identification through device scanning Personalised advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services development Some partners may rely on their legitimate interest. Your choices on this site will be applied for this site.
America's space vulnerability in a Taiwan crisis
OPINION: The satellites go dark. That’s how it would begin. Not with missiles, not with amphibious landings on Taiwan’s shores, but with a blackout in space. U.S. satellites, the eyes and ears of the modern battlefield, silenced or shattered. Communications scrambled. Surveillance gaps exposed. Missile warning systems blinking red or not at all. Before the first American warship could respond, China would already be moving in.
Lasers in space: Sci-fi or sci-reality?
OPINION: The short answer is: reality, and it can’t be soon enough. As debate advances around the technological aspects of President Trump’s proposed Golden Dome missile shield, there are real questions about the extent to which next-generation missile defense should incorporate non-kinetic energy weapons to neutralize advanced adversarial missile threats. Lasers are classified as non-kinetic energy weapons, and several terrestrial laser weapon systems are in development right now.
We have the tools to build and deploy Trump's 'Golden Dome' right now
OPINION: President Trump has made an important, appropriate and realistic decision by calling on Congress to fund a state-of-the-art “Golden Dome” missile defense shield to protect our homeland. Also called an “Iron Dome,” a Golden Dome is a pretty awesome rebranding of the current Israeli missile defense system and a new initiative to protect the United States from intercontinental ballistic missile and hypersonic weapon attacks.
We have the tools to build and deploy Trump's 'Golden Dome' right now
- OPINION: President Trump has made an important, appropriate and realistic decision by calling on Congress to fund a state-of-the-art “Golden Dome” missile defense shield to protect our homeland. Also called an “Iron Dome,” a Golden Dome is a pretty awesome rebranding of the current Israeli missile defense system and a new initiative to protect the United States from intercontinental ballistic missile and hypersonic weapon attacks.
The Golden Dome: We Have the Tools to Build It Right Now
Commentary Recently during President Trump’s State of the Union, he declared: “As commander in chief, my focus is on building the most powerful military of the future.
ULA CEO Tory Bruno: 'We have tools to build Golden Dome right now'
Last week during President Trump’s State of the Union, he declared: “As commander in chief, my focus is on building the most powerful military of the future.
Three Easy Steps to the Nirvana of Healthy Competition
Tory Bruno · Follow 10 min read · -- Establishing a competitive marketplace is a tricky thing. Do it right and you get a vibrant ecosystem with affordable prices, multiple choices, solutions that optimally fit more than one customer situation, and an ever-innovating set of companies that move the state of the art forward by investing in new competitive differentiators.
It’s Time to Defend Ourselves in Space
Tory Bruno · Follow 9 min read · -- We have entered a very dangerous time. Our adversaries have weaponized space and are threatening our critical assets, filling themselves with a bold confidence to do mischief on a grand scale. Our strategy to deter an attack through resiliency is incomplete. To keep the peace, we also must have a credible space defense. This means the ability to fight back and stop an aggressor. If we don’t do this, we tempt and encourage conflict. Why are our Satellites in Danger?
Nukes in Space: Should You Be Losing Sleep Over Them?
By Tory Bruno The short answer is: It depends… If we are talking about a nuclear power source, then no. There are nuclear power sources in space on scientific probes right now and have been for decades. These are in the flavor of Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs), also known as “nuclear batteries.” RTGs are relatively harmless and extremely safe. They can’t detonate, melt down, or even really hurt you unless you literally break into the fuel and eat it.
How to Fix the Pollution of Orbital Debris
By Tory Bruno Orbital debris has become something that we must urgently deal with. It is not tomorrow's problem. It is today's issue. Fortunately, it's not entirely new ground (no pun intended). It does not require a fundamentally new approach. Orbital debris is really just pollution. Plain and simple. We need to treat it that way and employ similar successful tools that we have used here on Earth to clean up our rivers, forests, and air quality.
Hypersonic Missiles are Just Misunderstood
By Tory Bruno It's hard to go anywhere without hearing about the new threat of hypersonic missiles. China and Russia have them, the United States does not! Even the news has been breathlessly announcing that "Russia used hypersonic missiles against Ukraine" - alarming! The average member of the public, as well as many policymakers, now understand that these things are dangerous because they are just too fast to shoot down. Clearly something needs to be done...
Our Precious Human Resource
by Tory Bruno Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education has become inseparable from the cause of human dignity. This might seem like a bold statement, so let me explain. STEM and the Future of Human Dignity STEM directly affects the quality of our everyday lives, enabling us to work more effectively, giving us the time to pursue the things that enrich our existence and even extending our very life spans.
A Defense in Depth
by Tory Bruno Once upon a time, space was a peaceful and unchallenged high ground. While weapons might have traveled through space when transiting from one place on Earth to another, the space domain itself was without weapons and generally without threat. All of that has changed. We must now face the reality that peer adversaries have placed anti-satellite weapons in orbit and on the ground, and that they are increasing the number and sophistication of these weapons every day.
The Secrets of Rocket Design Revealed
I am going to share with you some of the little-known techniques and implications of rocket architectural design. Why big rockets sometimes do less. Why little rockets sometimes cost more. And why every rocket has its very own, perfect mission. There is no single, best rocket. Different rockets do different things. As it turns out, the design of a rocket flows directly from the mission the rocket is intended to do, and there are many different missions.
Why is Everyone Talking About Nuclear Propulsion?
Mars is the reason why everyone is talking about nuclear propulsion. While Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) has various applications, it’s the potential for human exploration of the red planet that has captured the public’s imagination and the Propulsion Community’s renewed interest in NTP. For the first time in over half a century, we have embarked on a mission to put humans back on the surface of the Moon — this time to stay.
A Practical Strategy for Colonizing Mars
Technological advances in space launch have moved space exploration forward and made huge advancements in the understanding of our planet and the solar system. Most recently, United Launch Alliance (ULA) sent NASA's Perseverance rover to Mars to fly the first helicopter on another planet and to look for signs of ancient life, independent of our own precious blue marble. Our twentieth mission to the Red Planet, this is the most exciting and potentially civilization changing mission so far.
How Should We Quickly Replace Downed Satellites?
For many years, there has been a debate within the space community about how best to rapidly deploy satellites in a time of need. Should they wait on the ground to be rapidly launched when called upon, or stored in orbit, waiting to be rapidly activated? The answer has become clear: both. Russia and especially China have invested heavily in antisatellite weaponry: missiles, directed energy, co-orbiting weapons, cyber, and more.
Creation of a U.S. Strategic Propellant Reserve
Tory Bruno Erica Otto, Will Clifton, Austin Schmitt, Erin Lococo, John Sanders, John Reed, Bernard Kutter This study proposes the creation of a Strategic Propellant Reserve using lunar-derived propellant that will drive the growth of a $3 trillion cislunar economy in the next 30 years. A U.S.-backed strategic reserve will ensure the continuation of America's leadership in space in a time when space has become the newest warfighting domain.
How Hard Is Going To Space?
Many people believe the complexity and difficulty of space launches are relatively equal. Or said more simply, people outside of the space industry think it's pretty difficult to go to space, period. And while this is true, some space launches, particularly national security and interplanetary (travel between two planets), are considerably more complex than others and require a high level of accuracy, as well as very unique capabilities, especially in the rocket's upper stage.
Deterring Aggression in Space
The time has come for America to confront the reality that space has been weaponized by our adversaries. For the entire prior history of space, it has been a peaceful environment for research, enabling commerce on earth, and providing the ultimate high ground that denies tyrants the luxury of concealment, the advantage of surprise, and the easy establishment of a simple numerical measure of parity on the battlefield. All of this has changed.
Op-ed | Deterring Aggression in Space
To keep peace on Earth, we must keep peace in space. The time has come for America to confront the reality that space has been weaponized by our adversaries. Space has long been a peaceful environment for research and commerce on Earth with conditions that deny tyrants the luxury of concealment, the advantage of surprise, and establishes parity on the battlefield. But all of this has changed.
Predicting Extreme Weather on Earth Starts in Space – InsideSources
Extreme weather events are becoming more common, and more concerning. In December, unusually warm weather produced the deadliest tornado outbreak ever seen for that time of year, with one supercell resulting in a “colossal tornado” that decimated communities across Arkansas and Kentucky.
COVID Disrupted Everything—Even Rocket Launches
Surprising supply chain breakdowns Credit: James Olstein When Florida had a COVID surge, it caused a shortage of liquid oxygen for people in intensive care. Part of the supply chain for liquid oxygen was moved over to compensate for it, and that impacted about half a dozen rocket launches. Florida was the source of the need for oxygen, but it pulled resources from the entire country.
Space Launch's Vital Role in Combating Climate Change
Tory Bruno RealClearScience December 11, 2021 Many people may think that combating climate change begins and ends at the ground level, but a lot of it begins by observing Earth from orbit. It’s from space that we are able to measure the effects of climate change and our actions to counter it.
Op-ed | Space is Vital for Earth Day
by Tory Bruno — April 22, 2021 A wide-angle view of a ULA Delta 4 Heavy rocket undergoing preparation for a 2020 launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. Credit: ULA Space is vital to the mission and spirit of Earth Day. One might even say that Space is really all about Earth. From Space, we monitor forests, deserts and regions under stress in order to better protect them.
China aims to weaponize space, says intel community report
WASHINGTON ― China is working to weaponize space with an array of capabilities intended to target U.S. and allied satellites as part of its ambitious plans to displace the U.S. in space, the U.S. intelligence community warned in its new Global Risk Assessment report.
CEO of United Launch Alliance: The US must stay ahead of China is space
The new year will present many challenges for the global defense industry. Among these is the imperative to advance our technical superiority in space to combat the increasing threats we face from China. United Launch Alliance is committed to ensuring that the United States remains the leader in space and is ably capable of protecting our national interests and the peace of the global commons during this next evolution of the space race.
Investment in Alabamians paves the way to deep space
By Tory Bruno | United Launch Alliance Alabama has always played a pivotal role in the success of America’s aerospace industry. Over 100 years ago the Wright Brothers opened the nation’s very first flight school on the outskirts of Montgomery County. This land now houses the Maxwell Air Force Base. Since the dawn of aviation, a passion for discovery combined with technical expertise has kept Alabama at the forefront of securing America’s leadership in space.
Op-ed | FAA streamlining effort empowers U.S. launch industry - SpaceNews
by Tory Bruno — November 17, 2020 A ULA Atlas 5 rocket and the NROL-101 payload for the National Reconnaissance Office sit on the pad at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral, Florida, at sunset Nov. 12, 2020. Credit: United Launch Allianc On Oct. 15, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released the much-anticipated update to its rules for rocket safety, which streamline launch and reentry licensing.
124. TORY BRUNO, CEO of United Launch Alliance discusses Vulcan Centaur
ULA President & CEO Tory Bruno discusses the new Vulcan Centaur In this episode we welcome Tory Bruno, the president & CEO of United Launch Alliance. Tory joins us by phone to discuss how his interest in model rockets at the age of nine years old let to him pursuing a career in aerospace engineering, beginning at Lockheed Martin until he joined ULA in 2014.
Finding Baghdadi: Why Protecting Space Assets Is Vital to National Security
Tory Bruno, Defense News December 6, 2019 Photo courtesy United Launch Alliance On Oct. 27, the world learned of a raid that culminated in the death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. U.S. special forces and intelligence officials were able to succeed in their mission to take down a brutal murderer — one of the world's most dangerous terrorists — through the use of sophisticated satellites that the U.S. currently has in orbit. Read Full Article » Show comments Hide Comments Related Articles
Reagan Defense Forum | Defense News
Here are five ambitious steps to grow the defense innovation base and challenge China Competition between the U.S. and China "will determine whether nations relate to each other freely, equally, and peacefully, with a recognition of the human rights of their citizens or if they devolve into a system that legitimizes authoritarianism and rewards power and coercion," a new report warns. By: Aaron Mehta and Joe Gould 18 hours ago
Finding Baghdadi: Why protecting space assets is vital to national security
On Oct. 27, the world learned of a raid that culminated in the death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. U.S. special forces and intelligence officials were able to succeed in their mission to take down a brutal murderer — one of the world’s most dangerous terrorists — through the use of sophisticated satellites that the U.S. currently has in orbit. Control of space and protected assets in orbit are vital to American security here on Earth.
How Apollo Continues To Shape the Future
Jul 10, 2019 Tory Bruno | Aviation Week & Space Technology Fifty years ago, Neil Armstrong became the first person to set foot on the Moon. That night—July 20, 1969—Walter Cronkite came on air to deliver breaking news that would leave generations of Americans awestruck and inspired. Looking back, it is astounding to consider that then-President John F.
The new frontier of national security and exploration is in the heavens - SpaceNews.com
by Tory Bruno — May 15, 2019 U.S. Vice President Mike Pence gives remarks May 14 at the premiere of the film "Apollo 11: First Steps Edition" at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls Fifty years after man’s first steps on the moon, the future of human exploration in the final frontier is at a critical turning point.
Op-ed | Straight Talk Regarding Air Force Launch Contract
by Tory Bruno — March 18, 2016 An Atlas 5 rocket rolls out to the launch pad. Credit: ULA This op-ed originally appeared as a “My Take” guest column in the Feb. 29 issue of SpaceNews’ biweekly magazine. History was made Feb. 5 when United Launch Alliance launched the 12th GPS 2F satellite to complete a constellation that modernizes this indispensable capability for the U.S. Air Force and billions of GPS users around the world.
Op-ed | Building on a successful record in space to meet the challenges ahead - SpaceNews.com
Let’s set the record straight on Russian rocket engines and next-generation American launch vehicles. There’s been a lot of discussion on the timeline for replacing the RD-180, the Russian-made engine for the Atlas 5.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Tory
Contact Tory, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack