Tory Bruno Joins Blue Origin to Lead National Security Projects
Tory Bruno, former chief executive of United Launch Alliance (ULA), has joined Blue Origin to work on national security projects, including applications for the company's Blue Ring spacecraft. Bruno's departure from ULA and subsequent move to Blue Origin were announced in December. He publicly discussed his reasons during a National Space Society webinar on February 19.
Why Bruno Joined Blue Origin
Bruno stated that with ULA's Vulcan rocket now operational and a technology improvement roadmap in place, he was able to pursue other areas of concern, specifically national security space issues such as missile defense and dynamic space operations.
The Urgent Need for Dynamic Space Operations
He emphasized the urgent need for dynamic space operations, which involves the ability of spacecraft to maneuver for mission execution or threat avoidance.
Bruno cited increasing Chinese capabilities to deploy orbital threats as a driver for this need, noting that the current environment necessitates rapid advancements.
Blue Ring: A Core National Security Asset
His role at Blue Origin includes the Blue Ring, a highly maneuverable spacecraft bus. Blue Ring is being developed for both civil and national security applications, with a mission supported by a Defense Innovation Unit contract scheduled for later this year. Bruno highlighted Blue Ring's substantial delta-v, allowing it to maneuver extensively once in its destination orbit.
The spacecraft's attributes also include power, communications, and edge computing. Bruno plans to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) onto the spacecraft for high autonomy and into Blue Ring ground control centers to assist operators with anomalies or threats.
Blue Origin's "Full-Service" Ambition
Bruno described Blue Origin as a "full-service" space company, extending beyond launch vehicles to include projects like Blue Ring and its Blue Moon lunar landers.
He indicated that Blue Origin aims to become a dominant anchor space company in the near future.