Space News
space history and artifacts articles

Messages
space history discussion forums

Sightings
worldwide astronaut appearances

Resources
selected space history documents

  collectSPACE: Messages
  Space Explorers & Workers
  Mark Hopkins, space advocate (1949-2023)

Post New Topic  Post A Reply
profile | register | preferences | faq | search

next newest topic | next oldest topic
Author Topic:   Mark Hopkins, space advocate (1949-2023)
Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 50578
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 05-17-2023 09:00 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
National Space Society release
Long-Serving Space Settlement Advocate Mark Hopkins Passes On

Former National Space Society CEO Had a Long History of Supporting Space Initiatives

It is with condolences and appreciation for his past service to the National Space Society that we announce the passing of Mr. Mark Hopkins on Monday, May 8, 2023.

Anita Gale, NSS CEO, said, "Mark Hopkins has been a visible part of the space settlement movement from the very beginning. Much of what NSS is and does today is because Mark made it happen. As the torch is passed to a new generation of space settlement advocates, we will remember Mark's many contributions."

Hopkins was a long serving member of the National Space Society and one of the key founders from the organization's early days as the L5 Society. He had a BS in Economics from the California Institute of Technology and an MA in economics from Harvard University. When not volunteering for the NSS, he had a long career with the RAND Corporation, and provided economic analyses of space settlement for multiple studies including one that resulted in the publication of NASA SP-413 "Space Settlements: A Design Study" in 1977.

Lori Garver, former NSS Executive Director and former Deputy Administrator of NASA, said "Mark Hopkins was one of the early space pirates and among a handful of people who initially recognized the value of expanding the economic sphere beyond Earth and its atmosphere. As a leader in the L5 Society, he was instrumental in negotiating the merger with the National Space Institute, creating the National Space Society. Mark's dedication to establishing a spacefaring civilization was unmatched and his determination advanced the day when this will become a reality."

In 1975 Hopkins joined the first Board of Directors of the L5 Society, a citizen group dedicated to making Gerard K. O'Neill's vision of the human settlement of free space a reality. In 1987 he was part of the team that negotiated the merger of the L5 Society with the National Space Institute to form the National Space Society (NSS). He held many positions within the organization over the decades, including most recently CEO Emeritus. Hopkins was especially interested in using the political process to advance the cause of space settlement and founded Spacecause and Spacepac for this purpose. He was also active in the successful fight to prevent the United States from ratifying the so-called "Moon Treaty" which would have created obstacles to space development and settlement. Hopkins also traveled to India and China to discuss challenges facing global space powers.

NSS Board of Governors Chairman Karlton Johnson said, "Over the years, Mark shepherded an influx of donations to strengthen the NSS's educational programs and advocated for NSS priorities in Washington, D.C., as well as strengthening the society's international ties in key strategic growth areas. His belief in space settlement has served as a cornerstone for the NSS."

More recently Hopkins initiated the NSS annual Space Settlement Summit, an invitation-only gathering focused on bringing together leaders in the field of space settlement. The sixth annual Summit is currently planned for October 27-28 in Phoenix Arizona under the co-chairmanship of Greg Autry and Zaheer Ali, both professors at the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University.

As NSS Secretary David Brandt-Erichsen commented, "It's people like Mark Hopkins who will give humanity the stars."

Those wishing to honor Mark Hopkins's work with the NSS may make a donation here.

On a personal note, I first met Mark when I joined the National Space Society's staff as a college intern and was assigned a desk opposite his. Mark's dedication to the cause was clear from the start and I learned from his example.

GACspaceguy
Member

Posts: 2958
From: Guyton, GA
Registered: Jan 2006

posted 05-17-2023 10:12 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for GACspaceguy   Click Here to Email GACspaceguy     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

Kevin T. Randall
Member

Posts: 1510
From: Chesham, Bucks UK
Registered: Dec 2008

posted 05-17-2023 11:11 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Kevin T. Randall   Click Here to Email Kevin T. Randall     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

apolloprojeckt
Member

Posts: 1532
From: Arnhem, Netherlands
Registered: Feb 2009

posted 05-17-2023 11:39 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for apolloprojeckt   Click Here to Email apolloprojeckt     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

gareth89
Member

Posts: 561
From: Ireland
Registered: May 2014

posted 05-17-2023 11:44 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for gareth89   Click Here to Email gareth89     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

dss65
Member

Posts: 1333
From: Sandpoint, ID, USA
Registered: Mar 2003

posted 05-17-2023 11:47 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for dss65   Click Here to Email dss65     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

AstroCasey
Member

Posts: 78
From:
Registered: Feb 2019

posted 05-17-2023 01:00 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for AstroCasey     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

dom
Member

Posts: 1037
From:
Registered: Aug 2001

posted 05-17-2023 01:23 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for dom   Click Here to Email dom     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

mode1charlie
Member

Posts: 1411
From: Honolulu, HI
Registered: Sep 2010

posted 05-17-2023 03:14 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for mode1charlie   Click Here to Email mode1charlie     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
He will be very missed.

.

Blackarrow
Member

Posts: 3604
From: Belfast, United Kingdom
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 05-17-2023 04:42 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Blackarrow     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

Kite
Member

Posts: 1082
From: Northampton UK
Registered: Nov 2009

posted 05-17-2023 05:01 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Kite     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

SpaceCadet1983
Member

Posts: 442
From: Pacific NW, United States
Registered: May 2012

posted 05-17-2023 05:54 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for SpaceCadet1983   Click Here to Email SpaceCadet1983     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

SkyMan1958
Member

Posts: 1295
From: CA.
Registered: Jan 2011

posted 05-17-2023 06:46 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for SkyMan1958   Click Here to Email SkyMan1958     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

MartinAir
Member

Posts: 291
From:
Registered: Oct 2020

posted 05-17-2023 07:32 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for MartinAir   Click Here to Email MartinAir     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

rjb1elec
Member

Posts: 356
From: Merseyside, England
Registered: Oct 2004

posted 05-18-2023 04:16 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for rjb1elec   Click Here to Email rjb1elec     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

star51L
Member

Posts: 510
From: Vilano Beach, FL, USA
Registered: Aug 2002

posted 05-20-2023 03:09 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for star51L   Click Here to Email star51L     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

David Carey
Member

Posts: 989
From:
Registered: Mar 2009

posted 05-20-2023 04:42 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for David Carey   Click Here to Email David Carey     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

Gilbert
Member

Posts: 1490
From: Carrollton, GA USA
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 05-24-2023 02:04 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Gilbert   Click Here to Email Gilbert     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

capoetc
Member

Posts: 2337
From: McKinney TX (USA)
Registered: Aug 2005

posted 05-24-2023 07:20 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for capoetc   Click Here to Email capoetc     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

cddfspace
Member

Posts: 631
From: Morris County, NJ, USA
Registered: Jan 2006

posted 06-06-2023 09:42 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for cddfspace   Click Here to Email cddfspace     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

hlbjr
Member

Posts: 553
From: Delray Beach Florida USA
Registered: Mar 2006

posted 06-10-2023 03:05 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for hlbjr   Click Here to Email hlbjr     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

MartinAir
Member

Posts: 291
From:
Registered: Oct 2020

posted 06-10-2023 10:26 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for MartinAir   Click Here to Email MartinAir     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
.

All times are CT (US)

next newest topic | next oldest topic

Administrative Options: Close Topic | Archive/Move | Delete Topic
Post New Topic  Post A Reply
Hop to:

Contact Us | The Source for Space History & Artifacts

Copyright 2023 collectSPACE.com All rights reserved.


Ultimate Bulletin Board 5.47a





advertisement