Astronaut and engineer Christina Koch becomes acting deputy chief engineer at NASA following Katherine Van Hooser's retirement after 35 years. Koch will shift to management status, ending her eligibility for future spaceflight.
01Summary
- 01Christina Koch will serve as NASA's acting deputy chief engineer from Sunday, Nov. 1, succeeding Katherine Van Hooser, who retires on Wednesday, Oct. 21 after more than 35 years.
- 02Koch was a mission specialist on the Artemis II mission in April 2026 and previously spent 328 consecutive days on the International Space Station.
- 03She will transition to management astronaut status and will no longer be eligible for future spaceflight assignments.
- 04Koch began her NASA career as an electrical engineer at Goddard Space Flight Center and was selected as an astronaut in 2013.
02Why it matters
This appointment places someone with both technical engineering and hands-on spaceflight experience in a senior engineering leadership role at NASA, influencing mission readiness and oversight across the agency's programs, including Artemis and future Mars exploration.
Pulse AIAsk about this story
Answers are generated by AI from the story summary; they are not investment, health or legal advice.
