Chris Hadfield
About Chris Hadfield
Chris Hadfield (age 65) is an independent director of Momentus Inc. since August 2021, serving on the Compensation, Nominating and Corporate Governance, and Disclosure Committees. He is a retired astronaut and former Royal Canadian Air Force colonel; he flew three space missions, became the first Canadian to walk in space in 2001, and served as Commander of the International Space Station in 2013. Hadfield holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering (Royal Military College, Kingston) and an M.S. in Aviation Systems (University of Tennessee), and has served as CEO of Chris Hadfield Inc. since July 2013 .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian Space Agency / NASA | Astronaut; Commander, International Space Station | Commander in 2013; first Canadian spacewalk in 2001 | Senior roles in advanced research and technology development; cross-agency collaboration (Canada, U.S., Russia) |
| Royal Canadian Air Force / NORAD | Fighter pilot | Not disclosed (retired as colonel) | Operational leadership; aerospace defense experience |
| U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, NASA | Test pilot | Not disclosed | Flight test expertise across multiple services and NASA programs |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Hadfield Inc. | Chief Executive Officer | Since July 2013 | Promotional and investment company |
| Other public company directorships | — | — | None disclosed in MNTS proxy |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board consists of a majority of independent directors under Nasdaq rules; all directors other than the CEO are independent (Hadfield is independent) .
- Committee assignments: Compensation Committee (member), Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (member), Disclosure Committee (member) .
- Chair roles: None for Hadfield; committee chairs are Kabot (Compensation), Mercado (Nominating), Kugler (Disclosure), Reiners (Audit) .
- Attendance and engagement: The Board met 26 times in 2024; all directors attended at least 75% of meetings .
- Lead Independent Director: Linda J. Reiners serves as Lead Independent Director .
- Hedging policy: Directors are prohibited from hedging Company securities under the Insider Trading Policy .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Policy Amount | 2024 Actual (Hadfield) |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board retainer (Outside Director) | $100,000 cash | $70,000 cash fees earned |
| Committee member – Audit | $20,000 cash | Not applicable for Hadfield |
| Committee member – Compensation | $15,000 cash | Member (amount not separately itemized; included in cash fees) |
| Committee member – Disclosure | $15,000 cash | Member (amount not separately itemized; included in cash fees) |
| Committee member – Nominating & Corp Gov | $10,000 cash | Member (amount not separately itemized; included in cash fees) |
| Committee chair premia | $15,000–$30,000 depending on committee | Not applicable for Hadfield |
Note: Director compensation policy governs all non-employee directors, but no RSUs were granted in 2024, and independent directors held no outstanding equity awards as of year-end 2024 .
Performance Compensation
| Equity Component | Policy | 2024 Grant Status | Performance Metrics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial RSU grant at appointment | RSUs initially valued at $350,000; vests ratably over 3 years | Not disclosed for Hadfield; independent directors had no outstanding equity as of 12/31/2024 | Time-based vesting; no performance metrics disclosed |
| Annual RSU grant | RSUs equal to 0.128% of shares outstanding at grant; vest by next annual meeting | None granted in 2024 | Time-based vesting; no performance metrics disclosed |
| Accelerated vesting | On death, disability, or change in control | Not applicable in 2024 | Not performance-based |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Area | Disclosure |
|---|---|
| Current public company boards | None disclosed for Hadfield |
| Committee roles at other companies | Not disclosed |
| Interlocks with MNTS competitors/suppliers/customers | Not disclosed |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Technical expertise: Aerospace engineering, flight operations, test piloting, and complex program leadership across CSA/NASA and military aviation .
- Education: B.S. Mechanical Engineering (Royal Military College, Kingston); M.S. Aviation Systems (University of Tennessee) .
- Board-relevant skills: Safety-critical operations, technology development oversight, international coordination, disclosure oversight via membership on Disclosure Committee .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Outstanding | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Hadfield | 17,317 | * (less than 1%) | As of October 10, 2025; percent based on 14,583,946 shares outstanding |
As of 12/31/2024, no outstanding equity awards were held by independent directors, implying no unvested/vested director equity at that date .
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Hadfield contributes technical and operational rigor across Compensation, Nominating & Governance, and Disclosure Committees; independence supports objective oversight .
- Attendance and engagement: Board met frequently (26 times in 2024); all directors achieved at least 75% attendance, indicating active participation .
- Compensation alignment: 2024 director pay was entirely cash for Hadfield with no RSUs granted; while policy envisions annual equity grants, the absence of equity in 2024 limits skin-in-the-game alignment for independent directors that year .
- Conflicts and related-party exposure: Company-level financing arrangements included proceeds earmarked to repay secured indebtedness owed to certain directors and officers (not naming Hadfield), a potential governance red flag requiring vigilant audit/committee oversight . Related-party transactions require Audit Committee approval under written policy .
- Shareholder dilution risk: Multiple proposals in 2025 sought approval for significant equity issuances (warrants, convertible notes, ELOC, preferred conversion), creating dilution overhang—an environment that raises investor sensitivity to board capital allocation and governance controls .
RED FLAGS: Company reliance on dilutive financings (warrant repricings, inducement warrants, ELOC) ; repayment of secured indebtedness owed to certain directors/officers from financing proceeds . Hedging is prohibited, reducing alignment risk . No specific related-party transactions disclosed for Hadfield .