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Creation Date
2018
Biography
Jerry Cook is the Deputy Manager of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) Program at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. He shares responsibility for directing SLS program activities leading to development of America’s deep-space rocket for human and scientific exploration.
Together with the SLS Program Manager, Mr. Cook leads a nationwide workforce of more than 4,200 civil servants and contractors with an annual budget of $1.7 billion. Mr. Cook shares responsibility for all facets of the SLS Program, including programmatic and technical planning, procurement, development, testing, evaluation, production and operation of the integrated SLS.
Prior to this assignment, Mr. Cook was the lead technical authority on all NASA technical and engineering matters as Chief Engineer for NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Division. In his 30 year NASA career, he has held a variety of positions including Deputy Director of NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, and Associate Program Manager for the SLS Program. He served as manager of the Space Shuttle Main Engine Project Office and his career has included providing technical direction and management through all phases of engineering for space launch system programs, including program planning, procurement, design, development, testing, production and operations.
Mr. Cook earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Alabama. He has authored and co-authored numerous technical papers and books on aerospace and propulsion. He has been selected as a Distinguished Departmental Fellow of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Alabama and was inducted as a Distinguished Fellow into the University Of Alabama College of Engineering. Mr. Cook currently serves as a member on the university’s Mechanical Engineering Department Advisory Board.
