The Go-To Guy for Space Acquisition

摘要

It's not easy being U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Craig Cooning these days. His job, demanding to begin with, is bound to become much more so with the March 25 retirement of acting Air Force Secretary Peter B. Teets, the service's top space acquisition official and space advocate. Teets' departure leaves a vacuum in Washington that at least in the near term will be largely up to Cooning to fill. Add to that the cost-growth problems that continue to afflict military space programs — to the growing irritation of the Pentagon's overseers in Congress — and a picture of the challenges facing Cooning begin to emerge. But Cooning says he has a good story to tell, and cautions against losing sight of the solid performance of satellite systems in supporting U.S. forces in Iraq and elsewhere. "We hear a lot about the problems, but not a lot about the successes," he says. Cooning also enjoys a reputation in Congress as a straight-shooter, which will come in handy because hell likely be spending a lot of time on Capitol Hill this spring and summer. He spoke recently with Space News staff writer Jeremy Singer in his Arlington, Va., office.