Definition
Michael Scott Hopkins is an American astronaut, engineer, and retired United States Air Force (USAF) colonel who has served as a NASA mission specialist and commander on multiple crewed spaceflight missions.
Overview
Born on December 28 1968 in Lebanon, Oklahoma, United States, Michael S. Hopkins earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the United States Air Force Academy (1990) and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology (1997). He entered active duty in the USAF, where he served as an F‑16 pilot, R&D engineer, and test pilot, accumulating over 2,500 flight hours in more than 30 different aircraft.
Hopkins was selected by NASA in the 2009 Astronaut Candidate class and completed astronaut training in 2011. His first spaceflight was as a Flight Engineer on Expedition 46/47 aboard the International Space Station (ISS) during the Soyuz TMA‑15M mission (December 2015 – June 2016). He later served as commander of SpaceX Crew‑1, the inaugural operational crewed mission of the Crew Dragon spacecraft, which launched on November 15 2020 and returned on May 8 2021 after a 185‑day ISS stay.
In addition to flight duties, Hopkins has contributed to spacecraft safety, crew training, and public outreach, frequently speaking on STEM education and space exploration.
Etymology / Origin
The name “Michael” is of Hebrew origin, meaning “who is like God.” The middle initial “S.” stands for “Scott,” a common English surname used as a given name. “Hopkins” is a patronymic surname of English origin, meaning “son of Hob (a diminutive of Robert).”
Characteristics
- Education: B.S. in Electrical Engineering (U.S. Air Force Academy); M.S. in Electrical Engineering (Air Force Institute of Technology).
- Military Career: USAF pilot, test pilot, and colonel; logged extensive flight time, including combat and test operations.
- NASA Experience: Astronaut Candidate (2009); qualified as Mission Specialist and later as Commander.
- Spaceflight Missions:
- Expedition 46/47 (Soyuz TMA‑15M, 2015‑2016) – 166 days in orbit.
- SpaceX Crew‑1 (Crew Dragon Endeavour, 2020‑2021) – 185 days in orbit, first operational crewed flight for commercial crew program.
- Roles and Contributions: Crew training development, spacecraft safety reviews, performance of scientific investigations aboard the ISS, and participation in public engagement programs such as NASA’s “Year of the Space Engineer.”
- Awards and Honors: NASA Space Flight Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, and various commendations from the USAF.
Related Topics
- NASA Astronaut Corps
- International Space Station (ISS)
- SpaceX Crew Dragon program
- United States Air Force Test Pilot School
- Commercial Crew Program
- Other NASA astronauts who have flown on both Russian Soyuz and commercial U.S. spacecraft (e.g., Chris Cassidy, Nicole Mann)
All information reflects publicly available, verifiable sources as of the knowledge cutoff date.