From North Carolina to the Moon: The Journey of Christina Koch

NASA astronaut Christina Koch is currently making history as the first woman to travel around the moon. As a mission specialist on the Artemis II mission, Koch is part of a four-person crew aboard the Orion spacecraft, which lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday evening, April 1, 2026. This 10-day, 685,000-mile lunar fly-by marks the first time in over 50 years that American astronauts will orbit the moon.

Early Life and Academic Foundations

Koch’s path to the stars began far from the launch pad. Born on January 29, 1979, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, she moved to Jacksonville, North Carolina, in 1982. Her academic journey reflects a deep commitment to science and engineering, beginning with her graduation from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham in 1997.

Koch then attended NC State University, where she earned three degrees:

• A B.S. In electrical engineering (2001)
• A B.S. In physics (2002)
• An M.S. In electrical engineering (2002)

A Career of Technical Excellence

Before joining NASA, Koch built a diverse professional portfolio in high-stakes research and engineering. From 2002 to 2004, she worked as an electrical engineer at the Goddard Space Flight Center’s Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics. She then transitioned to the United States Antarctic Program, where she served as a research associate from 2004 to 2007. Between 2007 and 2009, she continued her engineering work within the Space Department of the Applied Physics Laboratory at Johns Hopkins University.

Breaking Records at NASA

Selected as a NASA astronaut in 2013 and completing her training in 2015, Koch quickly became a pioneer in space exploration. She launched to the International Space Station (ISS) on March 14, 2019, as a flight engineer. During her tenure, she set a record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, spending 328 consecutive days in space.

Koch also shattered gender barriers in extravehicular activity. In October 2019, she participated in the first all-female spacewalk alongside Jessica Meir. She subsequently completed two more all-female spacewalks, totaling 42 hours and 15 minutes of work outside the station.

The Artemis II Mission: Beyond Low-Earth Orbit

The Artemis II mission represents a massive leap in human exploration, taking Koch beyond low-Earth orbit (LEO) for the first time for any woman. The mission’s primary goal is a lunar fly-by, testing the capabilities of the Orion spacecraft before future landings.

The Artemis II Crew

Koch is joined on this historic journey by three other astronauts:

• Reid Wiseman: NASA Commander
• Victor Glover: NASA Pilot and the first Black person to exit LEO
• Jeremy Hansen: Canadian Space Agency mission specialist and the first non-American to leave LEO

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the Artemis II mission?

The mission is scheduled as a 10-day journey that includes a lunar fly-by before the Orion spacecraft returns to Earth.

What is the distance of the Artemis II journey?

The total journey covers approximately 685,000 miles.

Where did Christina Koch go to college?

Koch is a three-time alumna of NC State University.

Looking Ahead

As the Orion spacecraft continues its trajectory around the moon, the success of Artemis II paves the way for future crewed lunar landings. Christina Koch’s journey from a student in North Carolina to a lunar pioneer underscores the evolving role of women in deep-space exploration and sets a new precedent for the next generation of astronauts.