science
Christina Koch moves into NASA engineering leadership on November 1
NASA names the astronaut acting deputy chief engineer. The appointment changes her role to management astronaut status, ending eligibility for future flight assignments.
By NewsCubby Editorial Desk · Published
Christina Koch will become NASA’s acting deputy chief engineer on November 1, the agency announced October 13. She will follow Katherine Van Hooser, who retires October 21 after more than 35 years at NASA.
The job focuses on technical oversight and mission readiness across NASA’s programs. Koch will move to management astronaut status and will no longer be eligible for future spaceflight assignments. The change is an engineering leadership appointment, not a new flight assignment.
Koch flew on Artemis II in April 2026. She earlier spent 328 consecutive days aboard the International Space Station and took part in the first all-female spacewalks. Before joining the astronaut corps in 2013, she worked as an electrical engineer developing scientific instruments at Goddard Space Flight Center.
The accompanying social photograph was taken inside Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building on July 14, 2021. It is a file image, not a photograph of the new appointment.