NASA Names Astronaut Christina Koch Acting Deputy Chief Engineer
NASA astronaut Christina Koch stands inside Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building on July 14, 2021, in front of the agency’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket that ultimately powered the Orion spacecraft on the Artemis I mission. Koch later served as a crew member on the Artemis II mission in 2026, and on Oct. 13, 2026, NASA announced she will serve next as the agency’s acting deputy chief engineer. NASA/Glenn Benson NASA engineer and astronaut Christina Koch will serve as the agency’s acting deputy chief engineer beginning on Sunday, Nov. 1, following the retirement of Katherine Van Hooser, who will conclude more than 35 years of distinguished service to the agency on Wednesday, Oct. 21. In her new role, Koch will help lead NASA’s engineering community, supporting technical oversight, mission readiness, and engineering excellence across the agency’s programs and projects. With this appointment, Koch will transition to management astronaut status and will no longer be ...
