Michael S. Hopkins
Encyclopedia
Michael Scott Hopkins is a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Air Force, and a current NASA
astronaut
. Hopkins was selected in June 2009 as a member of the NASA Astronaut Group 20
. He is currently assigned as a Flight Engineer on Soyuz TMA-10M
/Expedition 37
/Expedition 38
scheduled for launch in September 2013. He is scheduled to be the first member of his class to fly in space.
but grew up on a farm in Richland, Missouri
. After graduating from the School of the Osange High School in Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri in 1987, he entered the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
. While there he played defensive back for the Illinois Fighting Illini football
team . He graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering
. He followed his undergraduate studies with a Master of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from Stanford University
, which he earned in 1992.
in January 1992. Early in his career he was stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base
in Albuquerque, New Mexico
working on advanced space system technologies. In 1996 he attended the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School
as a flight test engineer
. He graduated in class 96B as a Distinguished graduate and top flight test engineer. Following test pilot school he was assigned to the 418th Flight Test Squadron
testing the C-17 and C-130 aircraft. In 1999 he was sent to Canada
on an exchange program. While there he lived in Cold Lake, Alberta
working with the Canadian Flight Test Center. In 2002 he was selected as an Olmsted Scholar by the George and Carol Olmsted Foundation and was sent to the Defense Language Institute
in Monterey, California
studying foreign language. After six months of language training he was sent to Parma, Italy studying political science
at the Università degli Studi di Parma. In 2005, Hopkins was assigned to the U.S. Air Force Rapid Capabilities Project Office at the Pentagon where he was a project engineer and program manager. Following this assignment, in 2008 he was assigned as a special assistant to the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
, General James Cartwright. He was working with the Joint Chiefs when he was assigned to be an astronaut candidate.
. After completing astronaut candidate training he was designated an Astronaut. He is currently scheduled to launch on the Soyuz TMA-10M
spacecraft in September 2013 alongside two Russian cosmonauts. His crew will dock with the International Space Station
where Hopkins will remain on board as a Flight Engineer on Expedition 37
/Expedition 38
. During his time on the station, the crew will conduct science experiments and maintenance. The mission is scheduled to end with the Soyuz landing in March 2014.
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
astronaut
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
. Hopkins was selected in June 2009 as a member of the NASA Astronaut Group 20
NASA Astronaut Group 20
NASA Astronaut Group 20 saw the training of nine mission specialists, and five international mission specialists to become NASA astronauts. These 14 astronauts began training in August 2009 and officially graduated as astronauts on 4 November 2011....
. He is currently assigned as a Flight Engineer on Soyuz TMA-10M
Soyuz TMA-10M
Soyuz TMA-10M is a planned 2013 flight to the International Space Station. It will transport three members of the Expedition 37 crew to the International Space Station. TMA-10M will be the 119th flight of a Soyuz spacecraft, the first flight launching in 1967...
/Expedition 37
Expedition 37
Expedition 37 is scheduled to be the thirty-seventh expedition to the International Space Station.-Crew:Sources:NASA, ESA-External links:*...
/Expedition 38
Expedition 38
Expedition 38 is scheduled to be the thirty-eighth expedition to the International Space Station.-Crew:Sources:JAXA, NASA, ESA-External links:*...
scheduled for launch in September 2013. He is scheduled to be the first member of his class to fly in space.
Early life and education
Michael Scott Hopkins was born in Lebanon, MissouriLebanon, Missouri
Lebanon is a city in Laclede County, Missouri, United States. The estimated population in July 2009 was 14,292. The population was 12,155 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Laclede County. The Lebanon Micropolitan Statistical Area consists of Laclede County.-Geography:Lebanon is located at...
but grew up on a farm in Richland, Missouri
Richland, Missouri
Richland is a city in Camden, Laclede, and Pulaski counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. The population was 1,805 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Richland is located at ....
. After graduating from the School of the Osange High School in Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri in 1987, he entered the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
. While there he played defensive back for the Illinois Fighting Illini football
Illinois Fighting Illini football
The Illinois Fighting Illini are a major college football program, representing the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. They compete in NCAA Division I-A and the Big Ten Conference.-Current staff:-All-time win/loss/tie record:*563-513-51...
team . He graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering
Aerospace engineering
Aerospace engineering is the primary branch of engineering concerned with the design, construction and science of aircraft and spacecraft. It is divided into two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering...
. He followed his undergraduate studies with a Master of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, which he earned in 1992.
Military Career
Hopkins was a member of Air Force ROTC while at the University of Illinois, where he was a distinguished graduate. After graduating with his Bachelors degree he was commissioned a Second LieutenantSecond Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in January 1992. Early in his career he was stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base
Kirtland Air Force Base
Kirtland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in the southeast quadrant of the Albuquerque, New Mexico urban area, adjacent to the Albuquerque International Sunport. The base was named for the early Army aviator Col. Roy C. Kirtland...
in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
working on advanced space system technologies. In 1996 he attended the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School
U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School
The U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School is the Air Force's very advanced flight training school that trains experimental test pilots, flight test engineers, and flight test navigators to carry out tests and evaluations of new aerospace weapon systems and also other aircraft of the U.S. Air Force...
as a flight test engineer
Flight test engineer
A Flight Test Engineer is an engineer involved in the flight testing of prototype aircraft or aircraft systems.-Overview:The Flight Test Engineer generally has overall responsibility for the planning of a specific flight test phase, which includes preparing the test plans in conjunction with other...
. He graduated in class 96B as a Distinguished graduate and top flight test engineer. Following test pilot school he was assigned to the 418th Flight Test Squadron
418th Flight Test Squadron
The 418th Flight Test Squadron is part of the 412th Test Wing and is based at Edwards Air Force Base, California. It performs flight testing on MC-130H Combat Talon II and AC-130U Spooky aircraft.-History:...
testing the C-17 and C-130 aircraft. In 1999 he was sent to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
on an exchange program. While there he lived in Cold Lake, Alberta
Cold Lake, Alberta
Cold Lake is a city in northeastern Alberta, Canada, named after the lake it is situated near.-Geography:The city is situated in Alberta's "Lakeland" district, 300 km northeast of Edmonton, near the Alberta-Saskatchewan provincial border. The area surrounding the city is sparsely populated,...
working with the Canadian Flight Test Center. In 2002 he was selected as an Olmsted Scholar by the George and Carol Olmsted Foundation and was sent to the Defense Language Institute
Defense Language Institute
The Defense Language Institute is a United States Department of Defense educational and research institution, which provides linguistic and cultural instruction to the Department of Defense, other Federal Agencies and numerous and varied other customers...
in Monterey, California
Monterey, California
The City of Monterey in Monterey County is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast in Central California. Monterey lies at an elevation of 26 feet above sea level. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,810. Monterey is of historical importance because it was the capital of...
studying foreign language. After six months of language training he was sent to Parma, Italy studying political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
at the Università degli Studi di Parma. In 2005, Hopkins was assigned to the U.S. Air Force Rapid Capabilities Project Office at the Pentagon where he was a project engineer and program manager. Following this assignment, in 2008 he was assigned as a special assistant to the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is by law the second highest ranking military officer in the United States Armed Forces ranking just below the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...
, General James Cartwright. He was working with the Joint Chiefs when he was assigned to be an astronaut candidate.
NASA Career
Hopkins was selected by NASA and the U.S. Air Force to be an astronaut candidate and began training at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, TexasHouston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. After completing astronaut candidate training he was designated an Astronaut. He is currently scheduled to launch on the Soyuz TMA-10M
Soyuz TMA-10M
Soyuz TMA-10M is a planned 2013 flight to the International Space Station. It will transport three members of the Expedition 37 crew to the International Space Station. TMA-10M will be the 119th flight of a Soyuz spacecraft, the first flight launching in 1967...
spacecraft in September 2013 alongside two Russian cosmonauts. His crew will dock with the International Space Station
International Space Station
The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...
where Hopkins will remain on board as a Flight Engineer on Expedition 37
Expedition 37
Expedition 37 is scheduled to be the thirty-seventh expedition to the International Space Station.-Crew:Sources:NASA, ESA-External links:*...
/Expedition 38
Expedition 38
Expedition 38 is scheduled to be the thirty-eighth expedition to the International Space Station.-Crew:Sources:JAXA, NASA, ESA-External links:*...
. During his time on the station, the crew will conduct science experiments and maintenance. The mission is scheduled to end with the Soyuz landing in March 2014.
Awards
| Ribbon | Description | Notes |
 |
Defense Meritorious Service Medal Defense Meritorious Service Medal The Defense Meritorious Service Medal is the third-highest award bestowed upon members of the United States military by the United States Department of Defense... |
|
 |
Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal (United States) The Meritorious Service Medal is a military decoration presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States subsequent to January 16, 1969... |
|
 |
Aerial Achievement Medal Aerial Achievement Medal The Aerial Achievement Medal is a decoration of the United States Air Force which was first created in 1988. The decoration is intended to recognize the contributions of aircrew members who would, otherwise, not be qualified for the award of the Air Medal.... |
|
 |
Air Force Commendation Medal | with one oak leaf cluster Oak leaf cluster An oak leaf cluster is a common device which is placed on U.S. Army and Air Force awards and decorations to denote those who have received more than one bestowal of a particular decoration. The number of oak leaf clusters typically indicates the number of subsequent awards of the decoration... |
| Air Force Achievement Medal | with two oak leaf clusters | |
 |
National Defense Service Medal National Defense Service Medal The National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower... |
with service star Service star A service star, also referred to as a battle star, campaign star, or engagement star, is an attachment to a United States military decoration which denotes participation in military campaigns or multiple bestowals of the same award. Service stars are typically issued for campaign medals, service... |
 |
Air Force Training Ribbon Air Force Training Ribbon The Air Force Training Ribbon is the lowest military award of the United States Air Force, ranking only above foreign military awards.The Air Force Training Ribbon was authorized by the Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Force on October 12, 1980. It is awarded to U.S. Air Force service members on completion... |