United Launch Alliance CEO Tory Bruno admits the decision to build only Vulcan rockets at the world’s largest rocket factory in Decatur is a little “bittersweet.”

That means saying goodbye to the Delta IV and Atlas V rockets that have been built at the 2.2 million-square foot facility not far from the Tennessee River since it opened in 1999.

“The Atlas V, what a workhorse,” he said of the latter. The last of the Atlas Vs have been built, with 12 currently in storage at the plant or at launch sites, with one scheduled for launch this week. The Delta IV was retired in 2024.

Putting nostalgia aside, the transition is a good one for the factory and its workforce, Bruno said.

The Vulcan rocket is designed to go deeper into space, travel faster and carry a heavier payload. It has been desig

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