NASA has appointed astronaut Christina Koch as the agency’s acting deputy chief engineer, effective November 1. She succeeds Katherine Van Hooser, who is retiring on October 21 after more than 35 years of service.
In her new capacity, Koch will oversee technical operations and mission readiness across NASA programs. This appointment shifts her status to management astronaut, meaning she will no longer participate in future spaceflight missions.
Koch’s background includes serving as a mission specialist on the Artemis II flight around the Moon and a 328-day stay on the International Space Station. She began her career as an electrical engineer at the Goddard Space Flight Center and joined the astronaut corps in 2013.
Outgoing deputy chief engineer Katherine Van Hooser began her career at NASA in 1991. She previously served as the chief engineer for the space shuttle main engine and the Space Launch System’s Liquid Engines Element before becoming deputy chief engineer in 2023.
