# Alex McCool

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**Alexander A. McCool Jr.** (10 December 1923 – 14 July 2020) was manager of the Space Shuttle Projects Office at the [NASA](/source/NASA) [George C. Marshall Space Flight Center](/source/George_C._Marshall_Space_Flight_Center) in [Huntsville, Alabama](/source/Huntsville,_Alabama). During his career, McCool contributed to several space developments including the [Apollo Program](/source/Apollo_Program), [Skylab](/source/Skylab) and the [Space Shuttle program](/source/Space_Shuttle_program).

## Early life

Alexander A. McCool, Jr. was born 10 December 1923 in [Daytona Beach, Florida](/source/Daytona_Beach,_Florida), the son of Syrian immigrants Alexander A. McCool and Najla Samra. After graduating from high school in Florida in 1942, he became a first class petty officer and machinist mate in the [United States Navy](/source/United_States_Navy). He received his bachelor's degree in [mechanical engineering](/source/Mechanical_engineering) from the [University of Southwestern Louisiana](/source/University_of_Louisiana_at_Lafayette). He earned a master's degree in [fluid mechanics](/source/Fluid_mechanics) from [Louisiana State University](/source/Louisiana_State_University) in [Baton Rouge](/source/Baton_Rouge). He married Genelle Wade in Vicksburg, Mississippi, on 2 July 1953.

## Professional career

After college, McCool first went to work for the [Army Corps of Engineers](/source/United_States_Army_Corps_of_Engineers), which assigned him to work on hydraulics projects in Mississippi. Soon afterward, he began his career in [rocket](/source/Rocket) development in 1954 at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, working on the design of the [Redstone Jupiter rocket](/source/Redstone_(rocket)). In 1960 he joined NASA. As a charter member of the [Marshall Space Flight Center](/source/Marshall_Space_Flight_Center), McCool was instrumental in the design of the propulsion systems for the [Saturn launch vehicles](/source/Saturn_(rocket_family)) that propelled [Project Apollo](/source/Project_Apollo) to the [Moon](/source/Moon) and directed project engineering for Skylab, the first space science laboratory.[1]

McCool also served as director of the Structures and Propulsion Laboratory at Marshall during the design of the Space Shuttle's propulsion elements. He played a leadership role in engineering the shuttle's main engine and solid rocket boosters.[1]

## Awards

- Presidential Rank of Meritorious Executive, from [George W. Bush](/source/George_W._Bush) (1991)
- [NASA Distinguished Service Medal](/source/NASA_Distinguished_Service_Medal)
- [NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal](/source/NASA_Exceptional_Achievement_Medal)
- Outstanding Leadership Medal
- National Space Club's 2002 Astronautics Engineer Award

## References

1. ["Alex McCool honored by National Space Club"](https://web.archive.org/web/20060929041248/http://www.msfc.nasa.gov/news/news/releases/2002/02-064.html). *msfc.nasa.gov*. NASA. March 25, 2002. Archived from [the original](http://www.msfc.nasa.gov/news/news/releases/2002/02-064.html) on 29 September 2006. Retrieved July 18, 2020.

## External links

- [Interview with McCool](https://web.archive.org/web/20070321220341/http://appel.nasa.gov/ask/issues/10/10_interview.php)
- [Design News article (2001)](https://web.archive.org/web/20070930155552/http://www.designnews.com/index.asp?layout=articlePrint&articleID=CA108462)

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