Christina Koch, former University of Ghana student, becomes the first woman to land on the moon with NASA’s Artemis II mission.

Learn about her record-breaking ISS mission and historic achievements.Christina Hammock Koch, the NASA astronaut who spent time as a student at the University of Ghana, has made history as the first woman to travel beyond low Earth orbit and orbit the Moon.

A distinguished explorer and engineer, Koch is currently serving as Mission Specialist I for NASA’s Artemis II mission.

The mission officially began on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, when NASA’s Artemis II Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft lifted off from Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 6:35 p.m. EDT, commencing its journey to deep space.

Her role on this mission continues a career marked by record-breaking accomplishments, including spending 328 consecutive days aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and participating in the first all-female spacewalks.

Koch is a native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and grew up in Jacksonville, North Carolina, before residing in Livingston, Montana at the time of her selection to the NASA Astronaut Corps. Summers spent on her family farm instilled a strong work ethic and a love for challenges.

Her hobbies include surfing, rock and ice climbing, programming, yoga, triathlons, backpacking, woodworking, photography, and travel.

She earned dual Bachelor of Science degrees in electrical engineering and physics, as well as a Master of Science in electrical engineering, from North Carolina State University. During her studies,

she also spent time at the University of Ghana, gaining international academic experience.

She attended North Carolina School of Science and Math in Durham and White Oak High School in Jacksonville, North Carolina, and later received an honorary PhD from North Carolina State University.