Kenneth J. Cox

From The Space Library

Dr. Kenneth J. Cox earned his bachelor's degree in 1953 and his master's degree in 1956 in electrical engineering from the University of Texas/Austin, and his PhD at Rice University in 1966.

In 1963 he joined NASA to develop the flight control system for the Little Joe II Booster Vehicle. Later, Dr. Cox became the Technical Manager for the Apollo Digital Control Systems, which included the Lunar Module, the Command Module and the Command/Service Module, the first spacecraft to fly with a digital flight control system. From 1971 to 1987 he served as the Space Shuttle Technical Manager for the Integrated Guidance, Navigation and Control System, focused on developing new ways of utilizing a common set of digital computers to support all phases of flight. From 1977 to1979 he supported the Apollo-Soyuz joint mission between USSR and the USA in the Integrated Flight Control Systems. From 1987 to 1995 Dr. Cox was Chief of the Avionics Systems Division, and directed early technology and digital system concept developments for the International Space Station. He later was named the Chief of the Navigation, Control and Aeronautics Division.

From 1995 to 2003 Dr. Cox was Chief Technologist for the NASA Johnson Space Center, with the responsibility to promote government, industry and academia networking and collaborating for outer space related activities. He helped initiate an Avionics Technology Integration Group in the early "90's, the group that evolved into the ATWG. He also served on the Atlas Centaur Accident Investigation Board in 1997.

He retired from NASA in 2003 after forty years of service to focus on ATWG and the peaceful development of space.

He speaks frequently at industry conferences. He conducted an AIAA Distinguished Lecture Series for six years, and other major conference speaking engagements include the World Future Society, the Creative Problem Solving Institute, Society for Automotive Engineering, the Science and Consciousness Conference, the Space Frontier Foundation, and many others. He is recipient of the AIAA Mechanics and Control of Flight Award, AIAA Digital Avionics Award, and the NASA Medal for Exceptional Engineering.