Shirt a Phobia

Sample Page

Christina Hammock Koch (/kʊk/ KUUK; née Hammock; born January 29, 1979) is an American engineer and NASA astronaut. On her long-term mission to the International Space Station in 2019–2020, she conducted the first all‑female spacewalks and set the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman. On the Artemis II mission in April 2026, which set the record for human distance from Earth, Koch became the first woman to travel beyond low Earth orbit and journey around the Moon.

Before joining the NASA Astronaut Corps, Koch worked at the Goddard Space Flight Center and served as station chief for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration‘s American Samoa Observatory.

Early life and education

Christina Hammock was born on January 29, 1979, in Grand Rapids, Michigan,[1][2] and is the oldest of three younger siblings.[3] Her parents, Barbara Johnsen[a] of Frederick, Maryland[4][5] and Ronald Hammock of Jacksonville, North Carolina,[6] met while working at a hospital in Kalamazoo, Michigan where her mother was a medical technician and her father was a resident doctor.[7] Her family moved to Dearborn, Michigan when she was an infant and later moved to Jacksonville, North Carolina in 1982 where she spent the remainder of her childhood.[3][4][7][8]

As a child, Koch spent her summers with her family at her maternal grandfather’s farm in Sparta, Michigan, tending fields with her younger family members.[4] According to her mother, her grandparents would tell the young Koch “You’ve got to work hard to make it happen because if you don’t, it won’t”, with both Koch and her mother attributing her work ethic to her days working on the farm.[4][5] From an early age, she aspired to become an astronaut.[4][9] Her maternal grandparents noted her adventurous spirit from her time on the family farm[4] and in her room, she placed on her wall clipped images of space and Antarctica from National Geographic magazines, with Koch later stating “All of these places that were on the frontiers, places to be explored, just caught my interest from the time I was really young.”[3] She attended at least three Space Camps in Huntsville, Alabama.[4]

She briefly attended White Oak High School[3] and graduated from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham in 1997. In 1999, Koch participated in a student exchange program at the University of Ghana, Legon, where she studied astrophysics. She then enrolled at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, earning Bachelor of Science degrees in electrical engineering and physics in 2001, followed by a Master of Science degree in electrical engineering in 2002.[10][6] In 2001, she completed the NASA Academy program at the Goddard Space Flight Center.[6] Outside of her studies she provided photographs to the Technician and did volunteer work for Habitat for Humanity and Engineers Without Borders.[3]

Research and training

Koch signals her success in starting a fire during wilderness survival training in 2013.

Koch graduated from the NASA Academy program at GSFC in 2001. She worked as an electrical engineer in the Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics at GSFC from 2002 to 2004.[11] Koch has worked in space‑science instrument development and remote scientific field engineering. As an electrical engineer at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics, she contributed to scientific instruments for several NASA missions studying astrophysics and cosmology.[6] During this period, she also served as adjunct faculty at Montgomery College in Maryland, where she led a physics laboratory course.[6]

From 2004 to 2007, Koch worked as a research associate in the United States Antarctic Program, spending three and a half years in the Arctic and Antarctic regions.[6][12] She completed a winter-over season at the Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station, where temperatures reached −111 °F (−79.4 °C),[12] and an additional season at Palmer Station. While in Antarctica, she served on firefighting teams and ocean/glacier search‑and‑rescue teams.[6] Koch has described her time at the South Pole as mentally and physically challenging, noting:[12] “[This] means going months without seeing the sun, with the same crew, and without shipments of mail or fresh food. The isolation, absence of family and friends, and lack of new sensory inputs are all conditions that you must find a strategy to thrive within.”[13]

From 2007 to 2009, Koch worked as an electrical engineer in the Space Department of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, focusing on space-science instrument development.[6] She contributed to instruments studying radiation particles for NASA missions, including Juno and Van Allen Probes.[6] The following year, she completed tours at Palmer Station in Antarctica and multiple winter seasons at Summit Station in Greenland.[6] In 2012, she joined the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), first as a field engineer at the Global Monitoring Division Baseline Observatory in Barrow, Alaska (now Utqiaġvik), and later as station chief of the American Samoa Observatory.[6]

Astronaut career

In June 2013, Koch was selected by NASA as part of Astronaut Group 21, becoming one of four NASA astronauts born in the Grand Rapids metropolitan area, alongside Roger B. Chaffee, Jack R. Lousma and David Leestma.[4] She completed her training in July 2015, qualifying her for future missions.[14] Her astronaut candidate training included scientific and technical briefings, intensive instruction in International Space Station systems, spacewalks, robotics, physiological training, T-38 flight training, and water and wilderness survival training.[6]

Expeditions 59-61

Expedition 59 crew members Anne McClain, Oleg Kononenko, and David Saint-Jacques welcome their new crew members, Nick Hague, Alexey Ovchinin, and Koch (bottom right) who arrived at the International Space Station on March 14, 2019.

On March 14, 2019, Koch launched to the International Space Station aboard Soyuz MS-12 with Aleksey Ovchinin and Nick Hague to join the Expedition 59/60/61 crew.[15]

Koch was scheduled to perform her first extravehicular activity (EVA) on March 29, in what would have been the first all‑female spacewalk alongside Anne McClain. However, spacesuit sizing constraints led to McClain being replaced by Hague.[16] Koch later performed the first all‑female spacewalk with Jessica Meir on October 18, as part of a series of upgrades to the ISS power systems and physics observatories.[17][18][19] Koch and Meir conducted two additional all‑female spacewalks in January 2020.[20]

On April 17, 2019, due to reassignment schedules associated with the Commercial Crew Development program, Koch’s mission was extended to February 2020. She returned to Earth on February 6 after 328 days in space – the longest single continuous spaceflight by a woman, surpassing Peggy Whitson‘s 289-day record.[21] The extension marked the first time NASA had lengthened a first‑time astronaut’s mission in this way.[22][23][24] Koch’s extended stay is being used to study the physical, biological, and psychological effects of long‑duration spaceflight on women.[25] During the mission, she made the first edit to Wikipedia from space.[26][27]

Artemis II

Official crew portrait for Artemis II, from left: NASA Astronauts Christina Koch, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen

Koch was later selected as a member of NASA’s Artemis program.[28] On April 3, 2023, she was announced as a mission specialist in the Artemis II crew, which launched on April 1, 2026, and flew by the Moon on April 6, 2026,[29][30][31] traveling 6,400 miles beyond the Moon’s far side before returning to Earth on April 10, 2026.[32][33] She is the first woman to leave low Earth orbit[34] and to travel around the Moon.[35] She was joined by NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman and Victor Glover, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.[32]

Personal life

Koch resides in Galveston, Texas with her husband, Bob, who is a geospatial engineer.[3][36][37] The couple met at a Halloween party in American Samoa, where Koch was working at a climate research station and her husband was working as a government contractor for the Samoan Department of Commerce.[38]

Her hobbies include surfing, rock and ice climbing, programming, community service, triathlon, yoga, backpacking, woodworking, photography, and travel.[39][40] Koch is also a fan of Philadelphia sports teams and has posted pictures of herself watching the Phillies and Eagles on the ISS.[41]

Awards and honors

Koch has received numerous awards during her career at NASA and the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, including the NASA Group Achievement Award for the Juno Mission Jupiter Energetic Particle Detector Instrument (2012); Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory Invention of the Year nominee (2009); United States Congress Antarctic Service Medal with Winter-Over distinction, (2005); NASA Group Achievement Award for the Suzaku Mission X-ray Spectrometer Instrument (2005); and Astronaut Scholar, Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (2000–2001).[6]

In December 2020, Koch was awarded an honorary Doctor of Sciences degree from her alma mater, North Carolina State University.[42]

Koch was included in Time's list of the 100 Most Influential People of 2020.[43]

Note

  1. ^ Name at birth was Barbara Homrich

References

  1. ^ “NASA Astronaut Christina Koch”. NASA.
  2. ^ Raven, Benjamin (March 8, 2019). “NASA’s first all-women spacewalk features Michigan native”. MLive. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d e f “Astronauts return from the moon is just the beginning for the Artemis program”. The Independent. April 11, 2026. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Moroney, Kyle (June 27, 2013). “Making NASA history: Grand Rapids native is 3rd from West Michigan to become astronaut, 1st Michigan woman”. The Grand Rapids Press. Retrieved April 14, 2026. Hammock’s mother, Barbara Johnsen, was born in Grand Rapids and raised in Comstock Park
  5. ^ a b McNichol, Peg. “Grand Rapids native Christina Hammock chosen to be NASA astronaut”. The Holland Sentinel. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Whiting, Melanie (November 27, 2015). “Christina Hammock Koch NASA Astronaut”. NASA. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
  7. ^ a b Rahal, Sarah. “Michigan native astronaut Christina Koch hopes to inspire others to reach for stars”. The Detroit News. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  8. ^ Rupinta, Amber (February 26, 2019). “NASA astronaut, NC State grad Christina Koch ready for first space flight in March”. ABC11 Raleigh-Durham. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  9. ^ Daily News Staff. “Jacksonville astronaut will ‘carry the dreams of everyone’ to space”. The Daily News. Archived from the original on March 30, 2019. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  10. ^ “Alumna Astronaut Prepares to Launch to the ISS • Electrical and Computer Engineering”. NC State University | Electrical and Computer Engineering. February 20, 2019. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  11. ^ “Five Facts about Space Camp Astronaut Alumna Christina Koch!”. Space Camp. U.S. Space and Rocket Center. March 8, 2019. Archived from the original on April 19, 2019. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  12. ^ a b c Herman, Danielle (July 30, 2018). “N.C. State grad joins space race”. Business North Carolina. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  13. ^ “Antarctica Provides ICE to Study Behavior Effects in Astronauts – SpaceRef”. SpaceRef. September 13, 2016. Archived from the original on June 6, 2020. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  14. ^ “NASA’s Newest Astronauts Complete Training”. NASA. July 9, 2015. Archived from the original on April 4, 2019. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  15. ^ Gebhardt, Chris (March 14, 2019). “Soyuz MS-12 docks with the Space Station”. NASASpaceflight.com.
  16. ^ Berger, Eric (March 26, 2019). “It’s unfortunate NASA canceled the all-female EVA, but it’s the right decision”. Ars Technica.
  17. ^ “NASA Astronauts Spacewalk Outside the International Space Station on Oct. 18”. NASA. October 18, 2019. Retrieved October 18, 2019 – via YouTube.
  18. ^ “Voor het eerst maakt vrouwelijk duo ruimtewandeling bij ISS” [For the first time a female duo is taking a space walk at ISS]. nu.nl (in Dutch). October 18, 2019.
  19. ^ Garcia, Mark (October 18, 2019). “NASA TV is Live Now Broadcasting First All-Woman Spacewalk”. NASA Blogs. NASA. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  20. ^ Rincon, Paul (February 6, 2020). “New female space record for Nasa astronaut”. BBC News. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
  21. ^ Northon, Karen (February 6, 2020). “Record-Setting NASA Astronaut, Crewmates Return from Space Station”. NASA. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  22. ^ Northon, Karen (April 16, 2019). “NASA Announces First Flight, Record-Setting Mission”. NASA. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  23. ^ “NASA astronaut to set record for longest spaceflight by a woman”. Agence France Press. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  24. ^ Dunn, Marcia (April 17, 2019). “US astronaut to spend 11 months in space, set female record”. AP NEWS. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  25. ^ Roulette, Joey (February 6, 2020). “NASA astronaut Christina Koch returns to Earth after record mission”. Reuters. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
  26. ^ Wikipedia [@wikipedia.org] (November 17, 2025). “On this day in 2019, NASA astronaut Christina Koch made the first edit to a Wikipedia article from outer space”. Retrieved April 2, 2026 – via Bluesky.
  27. ^ Brown, Alyssa (April 10, 2026). “From Orbit to Open Source: How Wikipedia Shapes Scientific Progress”. datascience.virginia.edu. Retrieved April 11, 2026.
  28. ^ “NASA: The Artemis Team”. NASA. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  29. ^ Low, Lauren E. (April 1, 2026). “Liftoff! NASA Launches Astronauts on Historic Artemis Moon Mission”. NASA. Retrieved April 2, 2026.
  30. ^ Donaldson, Abbey A. (December 5, 2024). “NASA Shares Orion Heat Shield Findings, Updates Artemis Moon Missions”. NASA. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  31. ^ Berger, Eric (September 23, 2025). “NASA targeting early February for Artemis II mission to the Moon”. Ars Technica. Retrieved December 16, 2025.
  32. ^ a b Maidenberg, Micah (April 3, 2023). “NASA Names Artemis II Crew for Mission to Fly by Moon in 2024”. WSJ.com. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  33. ^ Watch Live: NASA announces astronauts for Artemis II moon flyby mission. YouTube. CBS News. April 3, 2023. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  34. ^ Staff, T. M. Z. (April 13, 2026). “Astronaut Christina Koch’s Joyful Dog Reunion After Artemis II, on Video”. FOX 22/ABC 7.
  35. ^ Melimopoulos, Elizabeth. “NASA’s Artemis II astronauts splash down on Earth after lunar mission”. Al Jazeera.
  36. ^ Carter, Jamie. “Meet The First Female Astronaut To Go On A Moon Mission”. Forbes. Archived from the original on April 1, 2026. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
  37. ^ “Astronaut craves salsa and surf after record 11 months aloft”. AP News. January 29, 2020. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
  38. ^ Dan Huot (March 8, 2019). “Resident Extreme”. Houston We Have a Podcast (Podcast). NASA. Retrieved April 15, 2026.
  39. ^ “Resident Extreme – NASA”. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  40. ^ “Christina Koch – NASA”. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  41. ^ Simpson, Ariel (April 9, 2026). “Artemis II astronaut Christina Koch is a big Philly sports fan — and even watches games from space”. Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  42. ^ Peeler, Tim (November 19, 2020). “Launching the Next Generation”. News. North Carolina State University. Archived from the original on January 16, 2023. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
  43. ^ “Astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir: The 100 Most Influential People of 2020”. Time. Retrieved September 23, 2020.