By the time Boeing and Lockheed Martin tapped Tory Bruno to take over United Launch Alliance last July, the handwriting was on the wall: ULA was going to need a new rocket if it hoped to remain in business for the long haul.

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Mike Gruss is the chief content and strategy officer at SpaceNews. From 2013 to 2016 he was a senior reporter at SpaceNews covering military space. Previously, he was editor in chief of Sightline Media Group and worked as a reporter and columnist for...