NASA Names Astronaut Christina Koch Acting Deputy Chief Engineer
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13, 2026, NASA announced she will serve next as the agency’s acting deputy chief engineer. 1, following the retirement of Katherine Van Hooser, who will conclude more than 35 years of distinguished service to the agency on Wednesday, Oct. NASA is a space exploration and public company founded in 1958.
Koch later served as a crew member on the Artemis II mission in 2026, and on Oct. With this appointment, Koch will transition to management astronaut status and will no longer be eligible for future spaceflight assignments.
“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,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “Katherine has been an extraordinary leader throughout her career, bringing technical expertise, sound judgment, and an unwavering commitment to mission success to some of NASA’s most complex engineering challenges,” said Amit Kshatriya, NASA associate administrator and chief engineer.
Key facts
- 13, 2026, NASA — announced: she will serve next as the agency’s acting deputy chief engineer
Sources & evidence
- NASA News Releases Primary / official
NASA Names Astronaut Christina Koch Acting Deputy Chief Engineer ↗
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-names-astronaut-christina-koch-acting-deputy-chief-engineer/