NC State grad set to orbit the Moon

Christian Koch will be the first woman to orbit the Moon.

RAL-ArtemisIIcrew-April23

The Artemis II crew will orbit the Moon in late 2024.

Photo via NASA by James Blair

NC State graduate and engineer Christina Koch will join the four-member Artemis II crew as a Mission Specialist. The moonshot will display the Orion spacecraft’s ability to carry people safely. This mission will make Christina the first woman to orbit the Moon.

Christina earned her Bachelor of Science degrees in electrical engineering and physics and a Master of Science in electrical engineering from NC State. She went on to receive an honorary Doctor of Sciences degree from the university.

The spacewoman’s out-of-this-world journey began in 2013 after being selected as one of the eight members of NASA’s 21st astronaut class. In 2019, the Wolfpack alum made history when she took part in the first all-women spacewalk.

The approx. 10-day mission is expected to launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida in late 2024. Good luck to the crew and their mission to “The Dark Side of the Moon.”