Retired 45th Space Wing commander Monteith to lead FAA's commercial space office

Retirement didn't last long for Brig. Gen. Wayne Monteith, who left the Air Force this summer after three years leading the 45th Space Wing. 

Effective Jan. 20, Monteith will take the helm of the Federal Aviation Administration's Office of Commercial Space Transportation as its associate administrator, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao announced Thursday.

The office is responsible for promoting commercial space operations, including the licensing of spaceports and of launches and re-entries of commercial rockets and spacecraft.

That job is expected to get busier in the coming years, and must address the National Space Council's mandate to streamline the licensing process. 

“The commercial space sector is growing exponentially every year, and the FAA is committed to keeping pace with it,” said Dan Elwell, the agency's acting administrator. “I’m pleased to welcome Gen. Monteith to our team, and I look forward to working with him to ensure we remain on the cutting edge of this burgeoning industry.”

Monteith's appointment is the second this week of a Space Coast veteran to an influential position in Washington. On Tuesday, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine named Janet Karika, of the Kennedy Space Center-based Launch Services Program, as his chief of staff. 

During his tenure at Cape Canaveral Air Force Base and Patrick Air Force Base, Monteith was a vocal champion of innovations led by the likes of SpaceX, which dramatically increased its launch pace in recent years. 

He oversaw the first landing of a SpaceX Falcon 9 booster at the Cape, and the first launch of a Falcon 9 with automated self-destruct systems. The latter meant there was no longer an Air Force officer charged with pressing a button to destroy the booster if it veered off course. 

The introduction of Automated Flight Safety Systems, or AFSS, reduced the infrastructure and number of people the Air Force needed to staff launches, reducing costs.

Monteith advocated for a "Drive to 48," a push to improve operations and maintenance that would enable up to 48 launches a year from the Eastern Range by the early 2020s, as new entrants like Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket, United Launch Alliance's Vulcan and potentially others came online. 

The 45th Space Wing maintains the Range's launch schedule and is responsible for public safety for all missions launching from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and Kennedy Space Center.

“Gen. Monteith is a proven leader with extensive experience who will help us accelerate innovation while protecting public safety," said Elwell.

Wing commanders typically serve two-year terms. Gen. John "Jay" Raymond, head of Air Force Space Command, asked Monteith to stay on for a third year in the position nicknamed "Shark 1." 

Monteith retired in August, turning over the Wing's command to Brig. Gen. Doug Schiess.

Before arriving at the Cape, Monteith, a graduate of the University of New Mexico, served in positions including senior military assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force and commander of the 50th Space Wing at Schriever Air Force Base in Colorado.

Contact Dean at 321-917-4534 or jdean@floridatoday.com. And follow on Twitter at @flatoday_jdean and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FlameTrench.

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