United Launch Alliance (ULA) has appointed Mark Peller as its new president and CEO, effective immediately, following a career spanning nearly two decades with the US launch provider.
Peller previously served as ULA’s chief operating officer, overseeing engineering, supply chain, production, launch operations, quality assurance and program integration across the Atlas and Vulcan launch vehicle programs.
He joined ULA when it was established in 2006 and led the development of the Vulcan rocket from the program’s inception through its entry into service and certification for US government missions.
ULA board chair Robert Lightfoot said the company is entering an important period for the launch industry, citing growing demand for access to space.
“We see a strong future with continued growth for ULA and have tremendous confidence in Mark’s ability to lead this company,” Lightfoot said.
Peller’s career began in 1990 as a propulsion engineer supporting the Space Shuttle program at Rockwell International. He later worked on the Delta program and held technical and program-management positions during the development and initial deployment of the Delta IV launch system.
Following ULA’s formation, he served as chief engineer for both the Delta II and Delta IV launch vehicles before taking a leading role in developing Vulcan.
Peller said ULA’s future would be built around the capabilities of Vulcan and the company’s established role supporting US national security and space exploration missions.
“I am honoured to take on this role leading a truly amazing team of people,” Peller said, highlighting Vulcan’s new capabilities and performance as a foundation for ULA’s future.
He succeeds interim CEO John Elbon, who has held the position since December 2025 and will retire at the end of the year following a 45-year career in the aerospace industry.
Peller holds degrees in applied mechanics, aerospace engineering and business administration, bringing extensive technical and management experience to the role.
His appointment comes as ULA seeks to build on Vulcan’s emergence as its next-generation launch vehicle and meet increasing demand for national security, NASA and commercial launches.
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