Edmund H. Nowinski

Edmund Henry Nowinski (August 2, 1944 – January 19, 2014) was an American systems engineer and intelligence official. Over a career of nearly three decades with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), he played a key role in the design, development, and management of U.S. reconnaissance satellite and satellite communications systems. He later worked in the aerospace industry, including as Boeing's program manager for the NRO's Future Imagery Architecture (FIA) spy-satellite program, and was a two-time recipient of the CIA's Intelligence Medal of Merit.

Early life and education Nowinski was born in Newark, New Jersey, on August 2, 1944. He studied electrical engineering at the Newark College of Engineering, later part of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in 1967.

On October 17, 1993, he was named director of the CIA's Office of Development and Engineering and, concurrently, director of the NRO's Imagery Intelligence (IMINT) Systems Acquisition and Operations Directorate. In this dual role he was responsible for acquiring, operating, and directing imagery satellite systems that supported the U.S. Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community. Boeing announced that "Ed Nowinski" would serve as its FIA program manager. Press accounts reported that Boeing dismissed Nowinski as the project was restructured and portions of the work were transferred to other contractors. A later CIA publication noted that he served as Boeing's FIA program manager until 2005, when the contract was restructured.

After leaving Boeing, Nowinski returned to Florida and worked as a consultant to the aerospace industry. Drawing on their experience managing large reconnaissance programs, the authors argued that successful space and intelligence programs had historically relied on strong, technically competent government program offices and that, by the early 21st century, the Intelligence Community had lost much of this in-house capability. They linked problems on programs such as Future Imagery Architecture to an over-reliance on contractors and called for rebuilding a cadre of experienced government program managers and systems engineers.

The article has been cited in subsequent analyses of U.S. national security space acquisition and critiques of the defense industrial base.

In 1993 he served on NASA's Space Station Redesign Team that was tasked "to redesign the Space Station to be more efficient and effective, and to meet the new budget guidelines."

He completed MIT Seminar XXI as part of the Class of 1993.

Awards and honors Two CIA Intelligence Medals of Merit. CIA Distinguished Intelligence Medal. National Reconnaissance Office Medal for Exceptional Accomplishment. National Reconnaissance Office Medal for Superior Accomplishment.

Personal life Nowinski was married to Judith Norulak; the marriage ended in divorce. He had two children and several siblings. He lived for many years in Melbourne Beach, Florida.

Death Nowinski died at his home in Melbourne Beach on January 19, 2014, from lung cancer. He was 69 years old.