NASA astronaut Christina Koch, who recently helped lead the first crewed mission around the Moon in more than 50 years, will take on a new leadership role at the agency this fall.

Koch, a three-time graduate of North Carolina State University, will assume the role of NASA’s acting deputy chief engineer on Nov. 1.

Koch’s appointment follows the retirement of Katherine Van Hooser, who will conclude more than 35 years of service to NASA on Oct. 21. In her new role, Koch will help oversee engineering standards, technical reviews and mission readiness across the agency’s programs.

The appointment also marks a significant shift in Koch’s career. She will transition to management astronaut status, making her ineligible for future spaceflight assignments.

“Christina has seen NASA engineering from both sides of the equation: developing complex systems on the ground and trusting them with her life in space,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in announcing the appointment.

From Raleigh classrooms to the Moon

Koch earned two bachelor’s degrees from NC State in 2001, one in electrical engineering and another in physics. She completed a master’s degree in electrical engineering in 2002, making her a three-time graduate of the university.

Her connection to NC State has continued well beyond graduation. In August 2026, the university dedicated its Engineering Building II as Koch Hall, recognizing her achievements as an engineer, explorer and astronaut. The building is home to the university’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, where Koch’s academic career began.

Her engineering education provided a foundation for a career spanning scientific instrument development, remote field research and human spaceflight.

Koch began her NASA career as an electrical engineer at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, developing scientific instruments for space missions. She later worked at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, contributing to instruments for missions including the Juno spacecraft, which studies Jupiter, and NASA’s Van Allen Probes, which investigated Earth’s radiation belts.

A record-setting astronaut

Koch most recently served as a mission specialist on Artemis II in April, helping carry out the first crewed flight around the Moon in more than half a century. The mission marked a major milestone in NASA’s effort to return astronauts to the lunar surface and establish a sustained human presence there.

Before Artemis II, Koch spent 328 consecutive days aboard the International Space Station, setting a record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman. She also participated in the first all-female spacewalks, working outside the orbiting laboratory with fellow NASA astronaut Jessica Meir.

During her time aboard the space station, Koch and her crewmates supported hundreds of experiments involving biology, Earth science, human research, physical science and technology development.

From spaceflight to engineering leadership

Koch will now help lead NASA’s engineering community, supporting technical oversight and mission readiness across its programs. Her responsibilities will span missions and projects both crewed and robotic. The position comes as NASA pursues an ambitious agenda that includes returning astronauts to the Moon, developing infrastructure for longer stays on the lunar surface and advancing technologies for future exploration.

For Koch, the appointment represents a transition from carrying out missions to helping ensure NASA’s next generation of missions is ready to fly. Her path from electrical engineering student in Raleigh to astronaut and agency engineering leader also highlights the role of engineering education in developing the technology and expertise needed for human exploration of space.