B.S. – AEROSPACE ENGINEERING ’90
An impressive career spanning more than 33 years has undoubtedly earned Stephen “Steve” Cook a reputation as a well-known innovator and trailblazer in the aerospace industry.
Originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Cook attended the University of Minnesota, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering and mechanics in 1990.
Cook currently serves as president of the Dynetics Group for the Leidos Corporation. The Group is headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama, and is the corporation’s innovation engine for technology acceleration while providing broad coverage to design and build hardware across all aerospace and defense domains from the seafloor to space. He first joined the company in 2009 as the director of space technologies and led Dynetics’ efforts in launch systems, orbital spacecraft and analysis, planetary exploration, and nanotechnology research until 2013, when he moved to corporate leadership roles.
Before joining Dynetics, Cook enjoyed a long and successful career at NASA. He served as the deputy manager of NASA’s Marshall Space Transportation Programs and Projects Office, where he planned and directed research, technology, and development activities for future generations of space transportation. Following that, Cook was the manager of the Ares Projects Office at the Marshall Space Flight Center from 2005 to 2009, which led to the recent Artemis I mission. His significant achievements in this position earned him the Meritorious Executive Presidential Rank Award.
A career filled with honors typifies Cook’s success and talent. He received the NASA Outstanding Achievement Medal in 1999 for exceptional accomplishments in the area of space transportation. He was awarded a NASA Exceptional Service Medal in 2006 for his outstanding efforts as a member of the Exploration Systems Architecture Study; the Holger Toftoy Award in 2006 from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), recognizing outstanding technical management by a section member in aeronautics and astronautics; and the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal in 2007 for his exemplary management of the Exploration Launch Projects Office. He was named an AIAA fellow in 2016 and was inducted into the Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame in 2019. He received the National Space Club Community Service Award in 2018.
Cook serves as an advocacy volunteer at the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and as a volunteer pilot for Angel Flight, Mercy Flight, and Operation Airdrop. Previously, he served as a board member for the National Space Club, FIRST Robotics Alabama, and the Industrial Advisory Board for Aerospace Engineering at both The University of Alabama and the University of Minnesota.
He has two children, Catie and Charlie, one grandchild, and another grandchild on the way.