American astronaut Christina Koch (44 years old) holds two world records related to space. Soon, she will become the first woman to fly around the Moon.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has assigned a mission for four astronauts to orbit the Moon at the end of 2024. This special flight will include astronaut Christina Koch.
Astronaut Christina Koch.
Although several women have traveled to space since the 20th century, no woman has ever orbited the Moon. Christina Koch will be the first woman to undertake this mission.
Dedicated to Pursuing Her Passion
From a young age, Koch was fascinated by space exploration. She was inspired watching shuttle launches on television with her family and dreamed of becoming an astronaut one day.
Spending her childhood on her family’s farm in Michigan, USA, she worked hard and overcame challenges.
Christina Koch will become the first woman to fly around the Moon.
Koch earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Electrical Engineering and Physics from North Carolina State University and was awarded an honorary doctorate by the institution.
According to her profile on NASA’s official website, before becoming an astronaut, Koch was involved in developing space science equipment. Her career began as an electrical engineer at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). Later, Koch became a research collaborator in the US Antarctic Program, serving as a member of the fire and rescue team.
She subsequently returned to developing space science equipment as an electrical engineer at the Applied Physics Laboratory of Johns Hopkins University. After joining the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), she worked in remote locations, including as a field engineer in Utqiagvik, Alaska, and later as the station chief at the American Samoa Observatory.
Husband Takes Care of Home While Wife Makes History in Space
According to the Daily Mail, in 2013, Koch was one of eight people selected for NASA’s 21st astronaut class. After two years of training, she became an official astronaut.
Koch’s first space flight took place in 2019 when she was sent to the International Space Station (ISS) as a flight engineer. Koch spent 328 days there, setting the record for the longest spaceflight by a woman. The previous record holder, Peggy Whitson, had spent 288 days in space.
During that time, Koch also set the record for the first spacewalk by a woman.
Christina Koch during her historic flight in 2019.
“I have always wanted to be an astronaut. For me, passion has guided me to develop and contribute the most during space flights,” Koch said in an interview in 2020.
Koch shared that while she explores space, her husband Robert will handle the household duties and take care of their puppy. The couple does not have children yet.
“Am I excited? Extremely! The most joyful part is that we will carry excitement, aspiration, and dreams into this mission,” she said at a press conference about the upcoming lunar flight.
Koch’s achievements have inspired many around the world, especially women and young girls passionate about science and engineering.
Her historic spacewalk and record-breaking flight demonstrate that women can excel in space exploration and play a crucial role in shaping the future of the space exploration industry.
