Brief
NASA appoints astronaut Christina Koch as acting deputy chief engineer
Koch, a veteran of Artemis II and a record‑setting ISS mission, replaces retiring chief engineer Katherine Van Hooser.
By Felo News Desk · Published
NASA announced that astronaut and engineer Christina Koch will assume the agency's acting deputy chief engineer role on Sunday, Nov. 1, following the retirement of Katherine Van Hooser on Oct. 21, according to a NASA news release.
What happened
Koch’s appointment marks a shift from flight‑ready astronaut to management astronaut status, meaning she will no longer be eligible for future spaceflight assignments. In her new position, she will help lead NASA’s engineering community, overseeing technical oversight, mission readiness, and engineering excellence across programs and projects.
What the reports add
The release notes that Van Hooser concluded more than 35 years of service to NASA. It also details Koch’s career: she served as a mission specialist on Artemis II in April, spent 328 consecutive days aboard the International Space Station – a record for a woman – and participated in the first all‑female spacewalks. Her early work began as an electrical engineer at Goddard Space Flight Center, developing scientific instruments for space missions.
What was said
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said, "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… I am excited to see the impact she will have across NASA as we return Americans to the lunar surface, build the Moon Base, get underway on nuclear power in space, and develop the capabilities that will ultimately take us on to Mars," as reported by NASA.
Associate Administrator and Chief Engineer Amit Kshatriya added, "Katherine has been an extraordinary leader… Christina brings a unique combination of engineering expertise, operational experience, and proven leadership, both on the ground and in space," also per the NASA release.
How it came about
Koch’s transition follows her recent Artemis II flight and her long‑duration ISS mission, aligning with NASA’s broader push to advance lunar exploration and Mars‑bound capabilities, themes highlighted in earlier Felo News coverage of NASA’s lunar‑race strategy and Artemis program.
Key facts
- Christina Koch will become acting deputy chief engineer on Nov. 1, 2026. (nasa.gov)
- Koch will transition to management astronaut status and will not be eligible for future spaceflights. (nasa.gov)
- Katherine Van Hooser retired after more than 35 years of service on Oct. 21, 2026. (nasa.gov)
- Koch previously served as a mission specialist on Artemis II and spent 328 days on the ISS. (nasa.gov)
- NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman praised Koch’s combined ground and space experience. (nasa.gov)
Sources
- [1] nasa.gov — originally reported as “NASA Names Astronaut Christina Koch Acting Deputy Chief Engineer”
