Christina Koch

Christina Koch is an electrical engineer and NASA astronaut recognized for her work in space exploration and scientific research. Koch graduated from North Carolina State University with a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering and physics and a Master of Science in electrical engineering. North Carolina State University later awarded her an honorary doctorate and renamed a building in her honor. Before her astronaut career, Koch worked as an electrical engineer at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics, contributing to scientific instruments for NASA missions focused on cosmology and astrophysics. She also worked at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory's Space Department, where she contributed to instruments on missions including "Juno" and the "Van Allen Probes."

Koch's experience extends to remote and extreme environments. She served as a research associate in the United States Antarctic Program, including a yearlong winter-over at Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station and a season at Palmer Station, where she participated in firefighting and search and rescue teams. With the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Koch worked at remote scientific bases, serving as a field engineer in Utqiagvik, Alaska, and as station chief of the American Samoa Observatory. These roles provided experience in isolated, high-stakes environments, preparing her for missions in space. Koch was selected as a member of the 21st NASA astronaut class and completed astronaut candidate training.

Koch served as a flight engineer on the International Space Station during Expeditions 59, 60, and 61. She and her crewmates contributed to experiments in biology, Earth science, human research, physical science, and technology development. Koch set the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, spending 328 consecutive days in space, and participated in the first all-female spacewalk with Jessica Meir. She completed two additional all-female spacewalks, totaling 42 hours and 15 minutes. After this mission, Koch served as branch chief of the Assigned Crew Branch in the Astronaut Office and as assistant for technical integration for the center director at NASA's Johnson Space Center.

Koch became the first woman to travel around the Moon as a mission specialist on "Artemis II." She was among the four-person crew aboard the Orion spacecraft for NASA's "Artemis II" mission, a 685,000-mile lunar fly-by that marked the first time in more than 50 years that American astronauts traveled around the Moon. Koch's role included testing Orion's life support systems, contributing to the development of future Artemis missions. Koch and the other crew members—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover Jr., and Jeremy Hansen—set a record for the farthest distance traveled by humans in space: 406,771 kilometers (252,756 miles).

Koch has received honors such as the Neil Armstrong Award of Excellence from the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, the Astronautics Engineer Award from the National Space Club & Foundation, and the Global ATHENA Leadership Award from ATHENA International. She has also received the United States Congress Antarctic Service Medal with Winter-Over distinction and multiple NASA Group Achievement Awards. Koch's career reflects significant contributions to space science, engineering, and STEM education.