Colonel (Ret.) Hopkins is a Managing Director on the Supply Chain and Strategic Opportunities team, which invests in businesses seeking to drive next-generation technologies and capabilities that advance supply chain integrity.
Prior to joining Cerberus in 2023, Colonel (Ret.) Hopkins served for 14 years as a NASA astronaut, participating in two long-duration missions aboard the International Space Station. Over the course of his astronaut career, he spent a total of 333 days in space and conducted five spacewalks. On his final mission from 2020 to 2021, he served as Commander of Crew 1 aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Resilience. During that mission, Colonel (Ret.) Hopkins voluntarily transitioned from the United States Air Force, following 28 years of service, to the newly formed United States Space Force, where he completed a 30-year active-duty military career.
In addition to his time as an astronaut, he served as the Space Force Director of Test and Evaluation in 2022, as a special assistant to the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 2008, and as a program manager in the United States Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office at the Pentagon in 2005.
Colonel (Ret.) Hopkins has been recognized with the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Aerial Achievement Medal, two Air Force Commendation Medals, and four Air Force Achievement Medals. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Illinois and a Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering from Stanford University.