Meet Artemis II Astronaut Christina Koch

Christina Koch, a mission specialist for NASA's Artemis II mission around the Moon, shares a story from her father's childhood. Before the Apollo missions, her dad's mother told him they would never reach the Moon. Seventy years later, her daughter is going there, illustrating how the seemingly impossible becomes possible with belief, hard work, and unity. Koch admits she never expected to become an astronaut, despite her love for science and math. A pragmatic dreamer, she pursued her passions, which included being active outdoors and appreciating the vastness of nature, from the night sky to mountains and the ocean. These experiences fostered her draw to exploration and challenges involving both mental and physical aspects, especially solving problems in harsh environments. Her journey has been defined by overcoming fears by doing what scares her, from traveling to Antarctica and Ghana to applying to be an astronaut, performing spacewalks, and strapping onto a rocket. She believes challenges are easier when people believe in you and you reciprocate that belief. For Koch, the Moon symbolizes history, a witness plate of everything that has happened, and a shared symbol of exploration and reaching for what's possible.